I finally saw Brokeback Mountain and got curious as to if it really existed. I looked it up and found that someone had already researched it. To sum it up: It's not real. The author of the short story, Annie Proulx, (who btw seems a little full of herself) says the name is adapted from a place called Break Back Mountain in Wyoming, but the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) says there aint such a thing. There is, however, a Brokenback Narrows, Creek, and Dam, a Brokenback Mountain near there doesn't seem far-fetched.
About the movie: I liked it. I thought it was a very good movie that, unfortunately, didn't live up to the hype. I had heard good things about it. Things that I was hoping weren't influenced by the controversial topic and the ensuing controversy about the movie (like the canceled screenings in Utah). Those things might have influenced the good reviews but nonetheless I thought it was par for an Ang Lee movie, good but not outstanding.
What did surprise me was the great job done by Heath Ledger. You see, when I first saw Heath Ledger it was in the modern remake of one my favorite Shakespeare plays, "Ten Things I Hate about You." (Which was based on "The Taming of the Shrew") Sadly that remake was an unabashed teen flick and Ledger overplayed it as would be expected. Then he made "The Patriot" and "A Knight's Tale" and did nothing to change my initial perception of him. So last year when I saw the previews to "Cassanova" my thoughts that he was doomed for "Ryan Phillippe" status (perpetual pretty face in teen flicks... no need to act, just look good) were reinforced.
But Ledger totally surprised me. He played the soft spoken but strong willed Ennis Del Mar convincingly. He didn't overdo the macho "I'm not a gay cowboy" angle. He was certainly not one dimensional and gave Ennis those subtle qualities which can make you forget an actor is acting. Not surprisingly, I have a new found respect for him.
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