Backdoor Mountain

Let me start by saying the good things about this movie:

The scenario in this movie goes as follows: two ranchhands working in the 50s meet each other and fall in love. They are reluctant to give in to their feelings and are confused by them. They go on to marry women and have families, but secretely continue their romance.

The wonderful thing about this movie is that it is probably a scenario that has happened thousands of times in past and present, but has certainly never been told on the screen before. That was the nice thing about the movie. I'm sure this story belongs to many men and woman forced to be in the same situation in a time when homosexuality was less accepted. I'm sure their are still men and women forced to ignore their innermost feelings and live a lie (I mean, how many of us know men and women who leave their marriages after 20 + years and admit that they are gay? *raises hand*). So, I thought that the premise of the story was very good. The romance betweent he two men wasn't the thing that was most interesting...it was the fact that at first they were very confused about their feelings and tried to fight them. It was also that they went on to try to live normal lives. It was also the way that their romance affected their familes and their lives forever. It was also that they knew by seeing each other they were risking people finding out and killing them. The situations in this fim are situations that are experienced by people all over the world, I'm sure. It just has never been put onscreen. This was, truly, a story that has never been told.

Another "pro" of the film was the acting. Heath Ledger was incredible. I went in to the theatre thinking that he couldn't pull it off. He's an Aussie after all. AND, while I think he and Jake Gylenhaal are both beautiful, I have never been blown away by their acting abilities. However, they both really impressed me in this film. Truly stellar performances.

Okay, so now for the CONS. The film moved a little slowly. No quite The Hours slow...but nonetheless too slow for me.

Another CON for me would have to be the graphic nature of the film. First let me say that I have many gay friends. I've seen them love each other. I even took in my male gay friend couple who had nowhere else to safely go and let them snuggle at my apartment. I am okay with gay. I have seen them love each other. However, this film was a little much for me. I mean, I understand why they put it in the film- because if it was a heterosexual relationship than the sex scenes would have certainly been included, so why NOT INCLUDE homosexual relationship sex scenes? I understand. However, it was very graphic...you could feel everyone in the theatre get a little uncomfortable. SO, if you are not comfortable seeing two men express their love by having man love...don't see this film.

So that's that. Does it deserve all of the Golden Globe nominations? I don't know...perhaps not the Best Film nomination...but certainly all of the acting nominations.

I give it 2 out of 4 SASSY LASSOS...

Lins