Short Summary is an original series in which I write brief reviews of movies, TV shows, video games, books, and more. Spoiler alert, just in case!

No Country for Old Men begins and ends with two different monologues from the same character, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, played by Tommy Lee Jones. The actor may have top billing for this movie, but the character has very little screen time. Regardless, these monologues have some of the best and most impactful screenwriting I’ve ever heard. This truly is no country for old men.

Besides those moments and despite his overall lack of screen time, Sheriff Bell still has a lot of the dialogue used in the film. All of it, no matter who speaks, is really well-crafted. Lines are terse, and they’re delivered quietly and without emotion, even when scenes are rife with tension and about to explode into gory action. Sheriff Bell has some expository dialogue, yet it’s fitting for his character and his history with this West Texas setting we find ourselves in. Otherwise, No Country for Old Men doesn’t waste time with any backstory and actually leaves much unexplained; it’s up to you, the viewer, to put the pieces together and do so quickly to keep up with the pace.

However, of course, the main draw to and popularity of No Country for Old Men lies with its villain, Anton Chigurh, portrayed by Javier Bardem. You can Google Chigurh’s name and come across articles and videos created as recently as 2017 by people who continue to try and analyze this character over 10 years later. He’s considered one of the greatest villains of all time, and it’s easy to see why. To describe anything else would risk spoilers and also just… ruin his sheer menace, chaotic nature, and downright ruthlessness.

In my opinion, I think that Josh Brolin has an underrated role as Llewelyn Moss. He’s soft-spoken, sometimes funny, and somehow charming, although he’s certainly no hero. Moss kickstarts the story by stealing and is then pursued by Chigurh, with Sheriff Bell not far behind them. Each main actors’ performance is subtle and almost threatening in various ways. Moss and Chigurh both leave a trail of bodies behind them, and Sheriff Bell has to catch up before more are added to the pile. It’s a slow and frightening hunt that takes its time and builds up until all hell breaks loose.

No Country for Old Men is absolutely not a John Wayne western. It contains elements of film noir and even horror. The movie is bleak and vague throughout, anything but straightforward, and there are no clear-cut good guys. Boy, is it violent and lawless, though, as a good western should be.

Like Sheriff Bell says, “A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He’d have to say, ‘O.K., I’ll be part of this world.'” And when you see this movie, you’ll have to do the same.