Don't worry, it's just a guy carrying a tank. I mean, what could he possibly do with that, even if he is a remorseless killer?

No Country for Old Men follows a pretty straightforward narrative line: A West Texas hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and makes off with a briefcase full of money. A hit man relentlessly pursues him to retrieve the cash, while a craggy old sheriff circles them both. What distinguishes this thoughtful, melancholy movie is the subtlety of its execution and the depth of its characters. Writer/directors Joel and Ethan Coen have crafted a moody, fascinating film, quietly building suspense, then breaking it with sudden bursts of violence.

Josh Brolin gives a standout performance as the laconic Llewelyn Moss, a Vietnam vet who sees a shot at a better life in the ill-gotten loot. He would have gotten away clean if not for a belated act of mercy that puts the unstoppable Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) on his trail. Chigurh has no merciful impulses, though he will, occasionally, give his victims a chance to change their fate through the flip of a coin. Tommy Lee Jones as the local sheriff is smart enough to figure out what’s going on, but unable to do anything about it. 

As Llewelyn displays uncommon resourcefulness in evading Chigurh, who calmly cuts a bloody swath through Texas in pursuit, you feel the movie inexorably building towards a showdown between the three main characters. Things don’t exactly turn out that way. Key events take place offscreen; sometimes we see the results and sometimes we don’t. I know this has caused consternation for some moviegoers, but it worked for me. By the end of the movie I know what happened to the three main characters and why. How seems kind of beside the point.

Gorilla Pants rating: 3 out of 4 bananas