Review of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) by Ryan H — 24 Oct 2011

A very obvious first directing attempt by Tommy Lee Jones. We don't need to see Melissa Leo's disgusting, saggy, tattooed naked body. Ok, it might work if there was a point whatsoever to her character, but it's simply used to move the plot and the actions of Pete.

If it wasn't for her, Belmont would not have been distracted and went into the ditch. In the long run, who cares? Would he have stopped them anyway? Guillermo Arriaga is typically brilliant with having ensemble films, but this one is just a mess.

Characters appear and disappear before we get what has been promised to us. Belmont has enough screen time and his own struggles that we should know what else is going to happen to him. Make him a part of the plot! Doesn't need to be cliche, but he felt like a character that had more to him, but he just randomly gets dropped to someone who is talked about but not shown.

Then we have January Jones who talks about being from Cincinnati and not knowing anyone, and she randomly cheats on her husband with Melquiades. Out of nowhere. So I guess when you move to Texas you don't care about emotions or love? And the portrayal of Mexicans might be nice, but he seems to talk about them as a whole, which seems to play on this white guilt thing and is why critics probably liked it.

"Yeah, I have no problems with Mexicans. This movie's great." But seriously, every Mexican gives things away for free or it takes very little to change their mind to do something good. They are more kind than anyone else in the film.

The only bad thing they do is cross the border, and Melquiades lies about his wife. Oh, spoiler, sorry. I just didn't feel anything until the Barry Pepper forgiveness scene. I found myself laughing at what were supposed to be dramatic moments.

Better luck next time, Mr Jones.