Review of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) by Jesse O — 29 Aug 2013

I don't think I really have much to say about this movie but it is a well-written and incredibly well-acted movie. It features one Tommy Lee Jones' more understated and heartfelt performances as this man who's only trying to do right by his friend after he was unjustly murdered by a border patrolman.

I think what the movie does well is that, while, Barry Pepper's character is kind of an asshole, at first, what happened really was an accident, as he's clearly haunted by the fact that he killed an innocent man.

The film is particularly powerful when you're constantly reminded of Melquiades through the use of flashbacks and seeing how he and Pete develop a close friendship, that adds some depth to the movie.

The movie also touches on themes of prejudice, obsession, redemption and morality. So it tackles a lot of issues and it does so in an intelligent manner. I was also surprised by the amount of comedy that is in the film.

It's not like it's meant to be a comedy, but the are scenes here and there that keep the movie from feeling too serious. And I thought that was a smart choice. Again, it adds a little light touch to what is an incredibly dark movie.

I also thought the ending, or the climactic act of the movie, which sees Tommy's character finding out that Melquiades lied to him about where he lived and about having a family and seeing how his denial leads to him creating his own little town in order to bury Melquiades.

I thought this aspect of the film also added a good deal of mystery to the character that you grew so fond of throughout the flashbacks. You're not sure what Melquiades was up to in Mexico and what made him escape to Texas, so that adds a little twist to the film's story, which is already really good.

I thought this movie was great. It has some excellent acting, special mention goes to Barry Pepper who did an incredible job, and a great storytelling. I'd definitely recommend this flick, it's certainly underrated.