No Country for Old Men
The Coen Brothers 2007 thriller won four Academy Awards, for best Motion Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Javier Bardem. Bardem plays Anton Chigurh, a psychopathic killer intent on hunting down Texan labourer Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin. Moss by chance discovers a drug deal gone wrong, and two million dollars. Chigurh tracks Moss across country, leaving a river of bodies in his wake.
This brings the situation to the attention of Jones’s Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. Despite being out of his depth, and horrified by the violence he faces, Bell tackles the task with a world-weary determination. The character of Bell isn’t directly involved with the main protagonists of the story, but is the audiences moral centre in a tale of horrific violence.
Despite clearly being a tough, rugged cop, Jones’ Bell is clearly disturbed by the events around him. Jones shows this with a minimalist performance, with the barest actions and expressions. In less assured hands, this would be an impossible task, but Jones is clearly the perfect man for the job.
