Brokeback Mountain: A Controversial Love Story

Personally, I have heard a lot of reviews, both within the industry and with personal experience, about how they didn't like Brokeback Mountain. I have witnessed numerous people stating that they do not like the film, and honestly, when asked the question as to why they did not like the movie there answer was always, "it is about two gay men". Being a lover of the movie industry and films of all types , I was sincerely shocked that was the answer given by everyone. They did not refer to the fact that they did not like the subject, or the location of the film or even if they disliked the "cowboy" atmosphere that the movie created. Just an unjustified reference to the fact that the movie is a love story between a man and a man not a man and a woman.

Let me start off by saying, I am simply defending a movie that I felt was brilliant. Sure, the love story was profound and it was between two men, but I am a heterosexual woman married to a man with two children and I still adored the movie. I am not telling you to go watch the movie even if you don't want too, I am just going to give you reasons why you should watch it, even if you do not believe in the homosexual lifestyle. Keep an open mind and you may be surprised. I have a lot of friends that have neither seen it or have seen it and couldn't watch the entire movie. They couldn't get past the scene with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal and their love scene. I say, get past it and continue to watch!

The movie is based on Pulitzer-prize winning short story author Annie Proulx and directed by Academy Award winner Ang Lee. The movie starts out as two young men looking for work in the summer of 1963, as a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy. Once they meet they begin a lifelong friendship that turns into more and over the years they begin to endure complications, happiness and tragedy. This movie is definitely proof that the power of love doesn't follow a specific and exact formula. It is not always, courting, marriage, owning a house and having children. Sometimes love comes in different shapes and sizes and at a moment you would never expect.

Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) begin working together in Signal, Wyoming as sheepherders up on Brokeback Mountain. They were both pretty certain that they would someday each marry and have children with a special dame. However, they became closer friends than anticipated and began a love affair with each other. They had to part ways at the end of summer after their work on Brokeback Mountain had ended. The men eventually married two beautiful woman and had children of their own despite the connection they created on the mountain.

Four years later, Ennis receives a postcard from Jack, disclosing to him he would be returning to Wyoming. Ennis awaits for his dear friend and once Jack arrives it is certain that the time passed only strengthened the men's attachment. Time goes on and Ennis and Jack struggle to keep their secret alive and hidden. Annually they make time to see each other but even when they are apart, living their "normal" lives they face eternal issues of fidelity, and trust and most of all commitment.

The sad truth within this movie is that multiple times Jack had asked Ennis to put everything aside so that they could be together and he would always deny the request. Ennis had responsibility to his girls and his family and was afraid that if their secret was let out that they would be ruined Jack had fears and responsibilities of his own as well, but was willing to move forward and move away with Ennis. He becomes dissatisfied with the fact that they only spend time together once in a while on Brokeback Mountain and he feels neglected and unimportant in the scheme of life.

I was tempted to deliver the ending of this movie but I am hoping that some of you that have not seen the movie, or read the book may choose too. Therefore, I will not spoil the ending. The movie is not just two men that share deep intimacy with each other. It is even more a story of love and what two people have to do to conquer their fears and live through their happiness and heartbreak. I was gravitated to this movie from the love story and did not have an issue with the sex of the characters.. It is a story of love and a lifetime friendship that was picked apart by some reviewers whom I think were too judgmental to grasp the whole idea. I have friends that hated the movie, and I obviously do not dislike my friend's for their opinion. I have however, tried to open their minds into looking deeper into the movie. Give the movie a shot, if you like love stories you may like this movie. I sure did!