Brokeback Mountain Review

I told myself the only way I would watch Brokeback Mountain at the theater is if Joe Thorn went with me.  Then I questioned what that would communicate and decided it would be better to pretend the movie didn't exist long enough to make it to the DVD release date.

But after reading this review I'm now actually very interested in watching it.  A blurb...

Brokeback Mountain is the story of two young cowboys, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, who meet in a 1960s summer job tending sheep on the mountain. They fall in love, then upon returning to the world, go their separate ways, marry and start families. A few years later, they resume their intensely sexual affair – visually, this is a rather chaste film – but with terrible consequences for themselves and the wives and children they deceive. The film climaxes violently and tragically, and it's this that has the critics lauding it as a cinematic cri du coeur for tolerance and acceptance of homosexuality.

But Brokeback is not nearly that tidy. True, the men begin their doomed affair in a time and place where homosexuality was viciously suppressed, and so they suffer from social constrictions that make it difficult to master their own fates. But it is also true that both men are overgrown boys who waste their lives searching for something they've lost, and which might be irrecoverable. They are boys who refuse to become men, or to be more precise, do not, for various reasons, have the wherewithal to understand how to become men in their bleak situation.

It is impossible to watch this movie and think that all would be well with Jack and Ennis if only we'd legalize gay marriage. It is also impossible to watch this movie and not grieve for them in their suffering, even while raging over the suffering that these poor country kids who grew up unloved cause for their families. As the film grapples with Ennis' pain, confusion and cruelty, different levels of meaning unspool – social, moral, spiritual and erotic. In the end, Brokeback Mountain is not about the need to normalize homosexuality, or "about" anything other than the tragic human condition.

(HT: Matt Crash!)

Comments

[Joe Thorn]

Wow. I am eager to see how SB's interact with this movie. It will be interesting to see how Mohler (who has missed the point of popular movies on suffering before) treats the film - or if he will even see it.

[jvpastor]

I am looking forward to seeing it. My wife read the book. I would be comfortable going with you Steve. You are buying? Are we going to have dinner? I usually don't kiss on the first date is that ok?

Does anybody else find the name of the movie interesting? Straight = heterosexual; Brokeback a movie about two homosexual cowboys? Not very subtle.

I'm probably crossing to many lines....

[Matt]

Thanks for the referral, Steve. Greatly appreciated.

Joe, Mohler has already made some initial comments on the movie. I discusses this last week. I hate to say it, but his response is what you might expect. Lots of scolding and concerns about the "gay agenda." Nothing in his comments led me to believe that he had yet seen the movie. I had the same concerns with his comments last year concerning Million Dollar Baby.

This is a tricky issue, because the subject matter will inevitably provoke discussion. It's the nature of the discussion, on Mohler and company's end, that I find somewhat troubling.

[James]

Steve, I think you and Joe make a cute couple : )

I have a request: create an image with the two of you cuddled up enjoying BM

[JGray]

Ok...you guys can agree that Mohler will not respond correctly, whatever that means...but how do you respond?

What are your thoughts on it? How should Christians react to it?

[Joe Thorn]

For one, let's see the movie before we respond to it. If we don't see it - let's be very careful. It is too easy to react to what we think is the "issue" and miss an opportunity to engage redemptively in the context of the story.

I am not saying we should neglect the social impact (or reflection) of pop-culture art. Just encouraging more.

[JGray]

How did Mohler respond incorrectly?

What was not redemptive in what he has said? How was he incorrect in his conclusions?

How would you respond differently?

[Joe Thorn]

JGray,

I think you are moxing up comments made by two different people. I mentioned "redemptive" engagement, but did not say I have read Mohler on this one, but that I am eager to in light of how he has handled himself in the past.

I have not Seen BM, but you can check out my take on Million Dollar Baby where I address some of what Mohler said in his review. I think our approaches to the movie are pretty diferent, though we have the same theology concerning the sanctity of life. The post I mention is here: link

[JGray]

I'm sorry, I should have been specific as to whom I was addressing.

I am curious why Matt thinks that Mohler's comments were off...and stealing your use of "redemptive", I am curious what in Mohler's comments would not be considered redemptive.

I can see why my use of your word made things confusing. I apologize.

BTW, I am not defending Mohler's comments...I haven't read them yet...but I would like to know what specfically it was that caused Matt to think that Mohler's statements were inadequate. Joe, I will check out your blog as to your statements.

[Matt]

Mohler's comments can be found

[Matt]

Mohler's comments can be found here. He deals with a lot of the media talk, but it's the last paragraph that bothers me. When he suggests that the movie is little more than propaganda, he reverts to culture warrior mode without even having seen the movie. Beyond that, he reveals an unwillingness to believe that lost people, even gays, might create powerful art under a faulty worldview. I take serious issue with that, regardless of the (very likely) nefarious political leanings of many in the media.

I do think Mohler is right about the damage done to male friendship in our culture, but that's really beyond the point. Hope this clarification helps.

[brad]

so...have any of you seen the movie yet? as a gay man, and a former christian, it's both funny, encouraging, and painful to watch good-hearted christians struggle with this issue. for some reason, this one issue seems to be the one undeniable decision contemporary christians have to make between believing the bible is the "unerring word of god", or not. for any christian who has a gay relative or friend, particularly one in a relationship, it must be indescribably difficult to reconcile their faith with the evidence they see before them - that is, gay people aren't any more inherently 'broken' or 'lost' than anyone else, and this idea of becoming 'ex-gay' is quite preposterous (i speak from experience). anyway, i find the whole thing pretty fascinating, and this community (on this site) seem pretty open-minded. i wish you luck in your struggle to come to terms with these seemingly opposed points of view, and also that you can recognize the truth, regardless of how difficult it may be to dismantle any pre-conceived ideas you might have.

[Richard]

Hello there!

I stumbled onto this blog and I just want to say that Brokeback can be seen with two set of eyes. Either you see a tragic story of how homophobia (also within the lead characters) stops two men from living happily ever after or you see a story of how homosexuality destroyes several peoples lives. It`s two totally different views - although the point of this film (of course) weighs over to the first view. See it and then make up your mind - the acting itself is worth seeing!