Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Bad aging makeup is the weakest part of Brokeback Mountain, and it never quite sells the decades going by. A few middle stretches also drift, years passing in short visits that blur together. Past that, there’s almost nothing to argue with. Heath Ledger plays Ennis with his mouth half shut and his eyes on the ground, a man who barely speaks because the world taught him the wrong words could cost him everything. It’s a towering performance built mostly out of silence. Jake Gyllenhaal gives Jack the hope Ennis can’t afford. Michelle Williams breaks your heart with one look through a screen door. Ang Lee shoots the mountain like a place outside of time, and the towns below like cages with nice views. It’s a love story about two men who never get the life they wanted, and it treats both of them with real care. A 9.1 because it’s patient, heartbreaking and honest. $45.61 says you finish it wanting to send a real postcard to someone you haven’t seen in years.

What works: Ledger’s nearly silent performance is one of the great ones, and the whole cast plays every heartbreak with total honesty.

What doesn’t: The aging makeup never quite sells the passing decades, and a few middle stretches drift between short visits.

Who it’s for: Anyone ready for a patient, grown-up love story that will stay with them for a long time.