Member review

Two men, two hearts, one tent, one love, getting together to feel alright.

This emotional rollercoaster of sexually fuelled love and lust set in the rocky cowboy mountains of sheep herding Wyoming, America. The Brokeback Mountain which in nature is love and true connection only possible without judgement and threat. Directed by Ang Lee, the story of Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) is one of love and heart break as they hide their forbidden love from the hard country and society they are surrounded by. As same sex relationships are persecuted by lynching and murder of town’s folk, they cling to the long waits to be with each other, back on Brokeback Mountain. They are emasculated constantly by other men as they try to sustain dominance in their relationships. As Ennis cannot hold a job down well and ultimately cannot provide enough bread for his family, his wife Alma Beers Del Mar (Michelle Williams) has to get a job at a store to provide. Then Jack’s only way of income is from his wife’s fathers company, whilst she works in the office running the business later on. Then both are denied the right to carve the turkey at Christmas, which is commonly during those times was up to the ‘man of the house’ to do. The whole film fights against gender stereotypes as the roles are reversed in terms or money makers.

Both characters try to regain masculinity through violence, as Ennis fights multiple people at different points to regain a sense of control over his life when his values are challenged and he feels at his most vulnerable, as he’s confronted by his Ex-wife he turns to violence to take control over the situation once he’s suddenly vulnerable.

At the death of Jack Twist, we suddenly see a breakdown of Ennis whilst we see he never left his shirt up in the mountains, Jack had taken it as a memory of Ennis. We see Ennis begin to open up and cry towards the end in their final meeting and we see him clutch the shirt as the last thing he has to remember of Jack Twist.

This movie twists and turns hearts and breaks us in the sudden shock of Jacks death leaving us longing for the two, especially when we hear Jacks promises and wishes for a future on a ranch with Ennis.

A spectacular romance that leaves you longing. Worth a watch, be your friendly reviewing content cop.