No Country For Old Men - Dissecting A Collaborative Masterpiece 

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The scene where Chigure was standing behind the door with only half his face visible is meant to represent a 50/50 chance of him actually being there, the shot where the sheriff opens the door only to end up facing his shadow is meant to subdue the expectations of first time viewers, who might have been awaiting for that final duel between good and evil we see in most westerns, and finally the sheriff finds the dime facing heads, implying that he got lucky like the old guy from the convenience store at the beginning of the movie. I really love how indirect this movie is, it's very subtle and nuanced unlike most formulated movies we tend to see.

Chigurh only pays .25cents for the gas and peanuts. Nice move

The last scene - the car crash (something random, uncontrollable, happening to the "force of nature" Chigurh) is supposed to show that he was really just a man all along.

You've got to acknowledge the acting skills of the shop keeper. Not as well known actors like that always go under the radar.

3:25 "I need you to step out of the car sir". It's funny how we can all watch a great film and get something different out of it. You think he smiles because he enjoys the power he has over his victim. I thought he smiled because he's trying to put his victim at ease. Hes trying to look "normal" and this is the best he can do. Its forced. Great critique. I love this film!

When sheriff Bell returns to the crime scene, I don't think that Anton is actually inside the room. It's just Bell's imagination at work. He sees the broken lock, and he is expecting that Anton is inside (the Anton we see hiding is actually what Bell is thinking what he is doing inside). He then opens the door, and the room is empty. Bell confronted his fears.

"What time do you go to bed??"...""oh I don't know around 9:30"..."I could come back then"..."well why would you come back then?? We'd be closed"..."yeah you said that"

Javier really got into this role. You really can't see anyone else doing it as well or convincingly imo. It was just great casting in general.

"You have any idea how crazy you are?" "You mean the nature of this conversation?" "I mean the nature of you..."

5:15 The storekeeper deserves recognition for the way his now-more-spasmodic breathin signal his fear. So what he's less noticeable -- he deserves as much recognition.

I just thought about the fact this movie has no soundtrack built into it. I think it adds a sense of uneasiness throughout the film. Almost like the events take place within a vacuum. Chigurh has full control over the fates of everyone in the film. They are simply trapped within his domain and must face the coin toss to move on.

"Don't put it in your pocket. This is your lucky quarter." "Where should I put it?" "Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it'll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is."

the peanut wrapper unraveling sound like a fuse being lit on a dynamite stick ; potentially blowing at any moment. Also the automotive belts behind the gas station attendant look like a bunch of nooses symbolizing death is near. Subtle details like this makes this film stand out really well.

Tommy Lee Jones who did a great job was still outshadowed by Anton who played the greatest psychopath since Hannibal Lector

Unquestionably one of my all time favorite movies. Harrilson as the bounty Hunter exposed the true depth of his skills as an actor here as well. This was as close to perfection as any movie to date had achieved, in my opinion. A masterpiece!

Chigurh didn’t disappear when sheriff Bell was at the door of the motel. These are two different time lines but shown at the same time.

Nice analysis. Chigurh is a man but he also represents death. I don't think Chigurh was in the room while Bell was in the room. The punched out lock represents the coin toss. Is Chigurh there or not? Bell has to decide. He calls it and it turns out Chigurh isn't there. This matches the book. Chigurh is actually watching Bell from a parked car.

Chigurh seems like the Angel of Death. He is more an archetype than a real character. I teach this novel to high school seniors and one of the exercises is to identify the archetypes in the story. Bell is a good shepherd trying to care for his flock. Moss is the everyman who cannot walk away from the temptation that ultimately destroys him. Bell and Moss are real people, we all know these guys, but Chigurh comes from the primordial mass. He does things that defy reason. Wells has to plug in a special code to get to the 17th floor to meet the corporate sponsors of this freakshow, but Chigurh just walks up the 17 flights of stairs and punches the lock out of the secret door, that nobody knows about. He then slaughters the man who hired Wells and watches him die for fun. This is not to mention the untold number of bodies that he disposes of with casual indifference throughout the film. I agree with the comment by Sly about the soundtrack. The sense of uneasiness pervades the entire film. I respectfully don't agree with Alexander. I think the final scene has Chigurh walking off to show that the evil is still out there. We can crash into this primordial force and maybe slow it down for a while, but we can never stop it.

Not really stated here, and no shade to the Coen Brothers, but the brilliance of the dialogue much came from the novel they adapted. Much of it line for line.

To me the best line is "I guess their TV set was broke". When he was speaking about the newspaper article

Carla Jean: "No, I aint gonna call it." Extremely important scene. She might be the hero in all of this.

He was never in the motel room. It was just a image or fear that he was just waiting for him.

Your channel deserves more attention. It truly fuels my interest for cinematography (as a hobby). Well done.

Best movie of Javier Bardem. Just plain brilliant.

“And then I woke up” Ed Tom Bell realizes that this is no country for old men.

I think when the sheriff went back to the hotel room, Chigurh was not really hiding behind the door. That was just the sheriff's imagination running wild because of fear.

Wow...after all these years I still seek answers and expiration on the movie. It was filmed in my hometown of Las Vegas New Mexico. Every time I go back to Las Vegas I pass the “coin toss” station. It should be a historical site!

Interesting analysis. One of my favorite movies. It presents something new every time I watch it. It's one of those movies where it feels like everything went right in creating it. Great script, acting, direction, and cinematography. Everyone focuses on Bardem and granted he was phenomenal but there's something about Tommy lee Jones' performance that kind of sticks with you. It felt so genuine and there was a kind of desperation in certain moments that made it so memorable in a subtle way. And kelly macdonald's acting was fantastic as well.

i guarantee that Chigurh was in Vietnam like Moss and Carson. That is the bond that all three share. I would say that Chigurh was one of the soldiers that did many evil things in Vietnam that when beyond the call of duty that came out years later and that is how he became so evil and cold. If you watch the documentary on "The Nightstalker, Richard Ramirez", he learned Stealth and saw pictures of brutality to civilians from his cousin who was in the Vietnam war. Hearing those stories from his cousin warped his mind and helped create the serial killer that he became

A lot of people I know didn't like the ending. They say this is no ending at all. They didn't get it. For me this is one of the brilliant film ending, maybe THE best I have ever seen. The last shot of Ed Tom. You can see his feelings in his face. I love this movie!

Sir, this is extremely well thought out, and well written. Excellent work

The scene at the hotel is one of many “coin tosses”. There are 2 doors and you see Sheriff Bell look at them. From the wide shot you see both locks blown out. Bell must choose which room to go into. He chooses correctly as Chigurh is behind the other door. Something that is obvious by the position of the hole in the door when we see Chigurh on the floor. Bell finds the coin on the floor and knows Chigurh was there. He also figures he is still next door. Rather than go next door and check he sits down with his lucky coin. The scene is now tied to the Del Rio motel and to the gas station. Chigurh got away cleanly - whether because Bell never went to the other room or by strolling away while Bell was in the first hotel room. Watch the scene closely, pay attention to both doors, note there is no space behind the door Bell enters and note the opening where the knob was in the room where Chigurh is crouched. The Coens are detailed and deliberate and Roger Deakins joins with them to spell out what happens. There are no other hypotheses needed.

Its such a good film, I even thought the dogs did a fine act.

“I got here the same way the coin did” and the “Do you know what date is on this coin? 1958. It’s been traveling 22 years and now it’s here” are my favorite lines of any movie or book.

What I like about your videos is that it never feels like you're "reaching". This will be a big channel someday

I was flying from Dallas to London and watched it on the plane but thought it was so good I watched it twice. Then I bought the DVD.

Love this movie but I never fully understand it, there's always something I forget about it and have to re watch it but its the themes and the quiet chilling moments that I really enjoy. Another great video I never knew bloodied wrists represented death in movies, always learning.

This is the most INGENIOUS AND ATTENTIVE piece of Coen Bros analysis I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I remember being in a test audience (of all ridiculous things, at that point in their career) for "Miller's Crossing," and thinking, "I am not the man for this particular job. I am too AMAZED." Tyler Mowery, you are certainly up to the task. "No Country for Old Men" is constantly asking, "Are you the man for the job?" Everyone fails. (The nitwit who doesn't properly secure a load of dead bodies.) Except the man who "retires," or BELIEVES that he can. But the ghost of disorder and randomness, the defier of any concept of "rule," is relentless. My interpretation of the multiple-shadow motel room scene is that Sheriff Bell (who is double-shadowed in the TV set, also?) is simply ignoring an aspect of himself in that motel room, to which - against all reason, like Moss with the water - has returned. "The rule you follow." Bell let the "ghost" go. Well, now I am lost in thought, thanks to you, Cinema Tyler. What AMAZING work you do! "He's seen the same things I've seen, and it's certainly made an impression on me." But I cannot BEGIN to articulate them, as you do! Kudos and thanks!!!

Tyler Mowery helps me realize what a fine art filmmaking is. I don't know if Tyler went to film school but I sure did learn a lot of tradecraft from this video and see how much complexity I miss as a movie washes over me. I have even more respect for all that goes into making a great movie.

This is a piece of work itself. Beautifully done. You should write a movie.

There is no comment on the most interesting part of this awesome movie for me: The dream of the Sheriff after he retires. It is about how he knows his dad in the dreams is waiting for him with a fire burning. This is an image of heaven. This is the whole point of the film: it isn't about beating evil that matters. It is about trying to stand up to it and doing your best. Because when we have done our best to stand up to evil, when our time is done, our Father will be waiting ahead for us with the warmth of His fire burning. This is the essence of hope, strength and courage.

I avoided watching this film for years, purely because of the title.... But when I succumbed to doing so , it was a revelation A master in works of great films 🎥

Best dialogue I’ve ever sat thru. Love this movie

Very cool analysis! I just watched this film for the first time a few weeks ago, so this was very timely. I was struck in particular by the absence of music throughout the entire movie, and I felt that it added to the tension you described. particularly in scenes where there are very subtle foley and audio effects, the lack of music allowed these to really come to the forefront, and that worked to the film's advantage.

One thing I noticed about Chigurh that stuck with me (besides all the other lunatic things he does) was that Chigurh does not blink once in the entire movie, reinforcing the notion that he is not human or at least not normal at all.

The Coen Brothers grew up 5 miles from where I did. They are the most original writers/producers in Hollywood, love this film.

SO GOOD! In preparing for the role, Bardem asked the Coen Brothers if he should come up with a backstory for his character. They said no. SO GOOD! What is left is a Code Anti-Hero who is pure evil. We only have a vague inkling of his code with little possibility of understanding! A mystery which tugs at our eyes! One of my favorite movies.

Leaving the wrapper on the counter showed what Anton felt about the store owner. Garbage. He could not care less but for the coin toss. But the scene in the hospital really laid it out. The way Llewellen responded to Carson revealed a lot about him. He was reluctant to admit he was even in the military saying his previous job was "welding". This is unusual for people that fought in a war. So it's clear he must have been in special operations and Carson is no buddy. A disappointing feature of the story was that it wasn't even Anton that got him, but the cartel.

Smile doesn't signify enjoyment. Smile doesn't reach eyes. More like a McDonald's cashier who is remembering to smile.

I think the scene with the candy bar and "friendo" (4:15) is perhaps the best acting and directing I've ever seen. Perfect in all aspects. Bravo.

This is a must see movie for anyone who enjoys a story

When I saw this film I thought "If I were ever the bad guy.........I would want to be Chigurh". That dude was scary.

Amazing film I also loved it. I tweeted Tommy Lee Jones personally and he responded. I told him how much I loved the film and that I believed there should be a part 2. He tweeted back "can't be done without the Coen Brothers"

I have no idea what your other videos are like, but this video made me sub even though it's 2 years old. I'll trickle in your videos over time & know I'll already love most of them. This analysis is fantastic.

Brilliant film. One of the top 50 of all time, I think. The random factors of life and their consequences, not dissimilar to the randomness of a coin toss. Inexplicable evil, darkness and death on one side, benign or painful existence on the other. Even Chigurh is not immune, in the end getting, while passing through a green light, getting rammed by a car coming out of nowhere that has run a red light. Life proves to be random, dangerous and deadly, if if you have the green light.

In the book, Bell recalls a situation during his war times when he acted un-heroicly in order to protect himself. He's haunted by his own cowardice.

Only line I care for is the coffee “we make it fresh every week”

Anton Chigur still gives me nightmares to this day. Well done Javier. The part for me that still haunts me is his scene with Lewelyns Wife at the end. Its so powerful, and subtle, and every emotion you can think of building to that final scene. Leaves you satisfied regardless of whatever happened in that room.

Chigur was only lurking behind the door in Sheriff Bell's mind. It was a visual manifest of his inner fear. Great insight and breakdown of some of the film. It's a shame he doesn't examine Barry Corbin's classic speech. It is, perhaps the one element of the film that goes unnoticed.....vanity.

This is the type of movie that should win awards. And did. It's fast paced. Dialogue. Acting. Cinematic shots. Just a masterpiece. Then you have 10 years later shit like The Favourite. People want to call it artsy and art house and its just crap. And yes sadly. I saw it. The fact is films can be amazing and when they are, they should be lifted up. No Country is such a film.

I think the film is a reflection on the decision-making processes that we all use to drive our journeys in life. You become an "old man" when your decision making process is no longer effective for the world in which you live....and this is no country for old men. Anton both questions others' and defends his own decision making process, albeit subtlety. He asks Carson Wells, "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" He's calling him an old man and then takes him out. He also says, "I got here the same way the coin did." to Carla Jean before he kills her. He's got his code that he lives by, which I think includes elements of both fate and chance. He hates small talk and believes that every word should be spoken with absolute clarity and conviction....and also that one should stick to their belief system. He shows this in the surprised glance he gives to the landlord of Moss's trailerpark when she sticks to her guns and refuses to give out information about him. He will take anyone out that interferes with his aims...which I think he sees as fate, but when they are not gives them the coin toss to let chance, and not him decide if they live. You'll note that he flips the coin first, so the outcome is set already when the person chooses. This movie is brilliant to me and I have been trying for a while to get into the mind of Chigurh to really understand how he sees the world. Normal people think he's crazy, but at the end of the movie he's the only one still active...that is to say not dead or otherwise retired. Good video man. I'll definitely have to check out your others.

From start to finish that was very well done and informative. This is one of my top 50 movies of all time and I've seen it at least a dozen times and the part that always got me was where did Anton go when the sheriff open the door to the motel at the end. I definitely realize that was a moment in the sheriff's life and in the movie where he had to open the door so he wouldn't never have to live a life of regret in his retirement. That's why I always thought they built that scene up so much the way to Cohen's do was to emphasize the importance of him entering that door to prove to himself one last time before retirement. I never thought of Anton as being a sort of ghost or something mythical but since you brought that to my attention there's something that stuck out and that was Carson's awesome speech to the businessman on what he thought of Anton. Carson refers to him as at disease or virus as the bubonic plague and is basically Pure Evil Carson never refers to him in any physical manner of a man with strengths or weaknesses. That's just my two thoughts but thanks again for the video. I'm curious to know your thoughts on the hateful eight and all the amazing subtle situations Quentin Tarantino was able to do throughout

Chigurh's impassive visage and demeanour creates bewilderment, threat, fear, dread of ones own unknown mortality, in that order. I worked in a prison and had time to see some of that contrived but seemingly casual indifference to other people's humanity and warm interaction. Being calmly told "Dave, I really don't care what you think" was a game-changer for me. It spoke volumes about attitudes - mine and his. Chigurh is real. Chilling as the fear from the gas station guy. A brilliant movie.

Chigurh is the Jungian shadow-self made manifest. He is at once terrifying and mesmerizing, as he represents in action, the darkly suppressed desires of man; to be free of established moral norms, to wreak havoc upon the world, and by extension, God, for having us on a planet where the prospect of death is inevitable. But he is also God in nature's form, at times merciful, usually unforgiving, wholly indifferent to the plight of the living.

Excellent movie. Excellent villain. Easily in the Top 5 of the 2000s on both counts. I highly recommend "Hell or High Water" if you're interested in seeing a similar film to this that isn't a blatant rip-off. It shares many of the same elements as No Country such as crime & justice and of course its West Texan setting. Yet it also focuses much more on the relationships between its characters and its script is so natural and to the point whereas No Country's is considerably more dramatic (not a bad thing, both work great in their respective intentions). I've seen it a few times at this point and it gets better each time I do. Oh, and good video!

The Coen Brothers taught me that the very best movies are the ones - that after you see them the first time - you leave the theater with your head cocked like a confused dog.

Nice take!

“Then I woke up”... was it all just a nightmare that the deputy had?

Great analysis Tyler! I enjoyed every minute of it.

that coin toss . . .heavy. thank you for posting this, heavy video and thank you for helping me wrap my mind around this movie.

Do you know what nemesis means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. In this case Anton Chigurh.

top work there Tyler Mowery. Beautiful analysis of this movie. Wish it were longer. so many scenens here, simply masterclass. coen bros is at the top of hollywood. he can be talked with kubrick, coppolla in the same breadth.

One of best movies all time and without having a dumb down unrealistic ending. Enjoyed the message even if I don't agree about its message of fate. Very intelligent script & beautiful cinematography.

This movie is outstanding. From the minute it begins you’re sucked in and it holds on to you until the end credits roll. It’s brilliantly written and having no soundtrack makes you think you’re in the setting as the actors.

You should check out the novel the film is based on by Cormac McCarthy if you haven't already. A lot of the dialogue and even direction was lifted almost directly from it. Not taking away from the Coens' but McCarthy deserves credit as well.

2:40 This is the face i did when fighting kids back in the days struggling them as well lmao xD, you just go like: "Just keep it strong, dont let go, just keep the pressure!" Same when blocking a door from someone. I remember having that face when pushing with all my force against that door to let no other student get past the door. In those moments of pure force, you just be. You only think about the "now" for a small amount of time, it is so intense. Of course, not everyone has those experiences in life but i am sure you can imagine

Kudos from across the pond Tyler. An impressive and very insightful assessment of one of my all time top 10 movies....

I also love the way the film touches on the nature of a free market economy, as the title would infer. Those who hold themselves to higher moral standards are bound to be trampled by those who are help back by no moral code.

Great videos, really enjoy your analysis, keep up the good work.

I'd just gotten around to finally watching this movie from beginning to end and understand its deep thematic meanings and characters, and I gotta say, I can't help myself, I keep coming back to this movie now, I now love it. Anton Chigurh is possibly my favorite character, cause of how stoic and cold-hearted he truly is, and is definitely a frightening villain to watch, especially when he uses his air tank on cylinder locks, gives the feeling that *_nobody_* is safe from him. And I love how there's no music soundtrack in it, it honestly makes the cat-&-mouse chase feel all the more suspenseful. And what I love about _NCfOM_ is that, in a way, like most other Coen brothers films, it is not of one genre, it is of many, it can be seen as a neo-Western, a horror film, a chase film, a noir crime thriller, a lil bit of black comedy.

Excellent thumbnail sketch. As you spoke, and we came to the end with the sheriff, I had the impression the movie could be seen as a kind of diagnostic tool about men, about which men can survive and what it does to them to survive, to be safe, to be late, to avoid confronting the strange man and his preposterous way of killing people. What could be more emblematic of the Grim Reaper in peoples' minds, with the sycthe replaced with the odd compressor, which is also grimly comic, almost camp. Yes, death as camp, in the grim pathos that describes plenty of endings for human beings. Thanks again for the commentary. Had me thinking about the film in a way that's satisfying, since I no longer have the classroom to force listeners to listen to me.

If you notice at the end that the police tape is marking off 2 rooms, not just the room moss died in hence the other room must of been of importance, i think moss would likely rented a room and place the money there while he was in the girls room, the room that bell goes into is the one where moss died but the vent couldn't of held the case of money, i think Anton was in the other room behind the police tape and bell choose the wrong room to enter, that can be the only explantion since if anton wasnt there at the same time as bell we wouldnt of received the scene telling us as such since the anton motivation the whole movie was to retrieve the money and not necessary just kill moss. and notice anton got the money back before killing carla jean but i believe it is different in the book slightly

2007 also gave us the brilliant There Will Be Blood, which was shot closeby this

Brilliant video. No country for old men remains in my top 5 films of all time.

My favorite thing about Chigurh’s character is what he embodies, and Javier Bardem’s acting only further supports it beautifully. He doesn’t just embody death itself, but he is the incarnation of the powers that we cannot and will never understand. Think of someone who died in the prime of their life, for reasons that seem so random and senseless. That’s Chigurh. The randomness of life. The illusion of choice. The bringer of fate in its most unknown form.

Great movie. Wouldn’t have happened without a great book. Movie is basically line for line of the book. How about a shoutout to freaking Cormac McCarthy? Cmon man.

I've been doing a lot of research into this late scene with Bell at the crime scene, and I've arrived at the conclusion that Chigurh was NOT in either of the rooms taped off. Bear with me here. First we have all the "He's pretty much a *ghost*" set-up in Bell's chat with the local sherrif, and we also knows that he dreads coming in contact with "something he doesn't understand." He has heard the local sherrif say that Chigurh is now known to be one who brazenly returns to the scene of crimes, and that's why Bell goes back to the hotel that night. He's terrified, and stands long seconds contemplating the blown-out lock cylinder in the door of 114. As he does so, we get what appears to be a view of Chigurh, lurking "behind" the door, and against the wall of 114. Now, it's not abundantly clear, but a long shot at the beginning of this scene seems to suggest that the lock is blown out of room 112, to the right next door, and both room entrances are taped off. However... the view we get of Chigurh could ONLY have been in 114, where he would be looking from the "back wall" of the room, to the hinge side of the door. If he were lurking in 112, a "mirrored layout" relative to 114, he would be inside the room looking towards 114 to watch the blown out lock cylinder hole in the door, and would not have his back in a corner. Nor would he put himself in a position where Bell was "behind him". All these dynamics are confirmed when Bell finally does open the door to 114, because our eyes go the the front corner behind the opening door... and Chigurh is not there. That whole wall on Bell's right is the "back wall" of the room: there's a long dresser, a couple lamps, a mirror in a frame all along the wall. it's a shared wall with 112. Bell clears the room, finding nothing. No way Chigurh could have escaped through the bathroom window, as Bell sees it's locked from inside; similarly, no way he could have escaped through the vent, because that doesn't lead to any egress point, and it would have made way too much noise. It's clear that Chigurh got the satchel from Moss' usual hiding place some time ago and is long gone. It was his "ghost", and Bell's dread, that we were "seeing" in the cutaway shots as Bell struggled with his decision to open the door or not. The tension here also, I think, represents Bell's decision to retire. After this, he's *done*.

I have figured out where “Sugar” was hiding in the room. The one place Bell did not look. The shower. Same place the Mexican was hiding, but “Sugar” to find the Mexican. Bell, not looking behind his back in the bathroom, was allowed to go into retirement.

This movie was intense. Chigur gave me the creeps even though I loved seeing his BADASS nature!

Anton was in the other room. If you looked closely, two rooms were marked off by police tape. As Bell entered the room he went in, he saw the coin, heads up. This represents the coin toss, the luck. He went into the room Anton wasn’t in by chance and escaped death. Another “random chance” moment in this movie, that plays together perfectly with the rest of the plot.

Very good dissection my friend, you have gained a new subscriber!

When Anton crashes and breaks his arm it shows a true understanding I feel that he is just a man

The Dialog continually credited to the Cohn brothers is word for word Cormack McCarthy's.

Anton Chigurh is not just death, he's the angel of death, enforcing God's prohibition against the love of money (everyone in the movie who crosses his path and is after the money, he kills ... the money guys in the desert, the cartel guys in the motel room, even the man who hired him, and we know he's going to kill the associate who asks "are you going to kill me?" because Chigurh asks "who are you" and the man says "nobody ... accounting"). "Anton" is short for Antonius; the name means 'priceless'. He flips money for the irony. Money brought you here; now it's half determined your fate. Call it! Look at 4:28. The scene shows you the world's most harmless cashier ... but Chigurh finds himself agitated by even this mild mannered merchant. In human pursuit of happiness, we mistakenly fix on money. Chigurh laughs at Carson's mention of the ATM just before killing him. If you pursue this cursed money (the movie begins with a scene where a dozen men have killed each other over it), you're toast. Why does this 'angel of death' kill the cop, the Ford driver, the chicken truck driver, the night attendant, etc.? Well, I think that's just because they're in his way, and he's death! (What's he supposed to do, just rough them up?! He's the angel of fist-o-cuffs? lol!) Why does the angel of death kill Llewelyn's wife? Because he knows Llewelyn's desire for the money was for her; she's the one who's consumed with worry over money ... the first thing she says to Llewelyn is what's in the bag, scoffs at 'money', then "hollers" at him for buying a gun. She's sweet, but she makes a fatal confession when she sees Chigurh in the corner: "I knew this wasn't the end. I don't have the money. What little I had is gone. I've got a pile of bills I haven't paid. I buried my mother today, and can't pay for that." Chigurh says, "I wouldn't worry about it." Chigurh's contempt for the value systems of those around him is just more reason to think his goal on earth is to chastise everyone for valuing the wrong things. It seems like he's a nihilist (or perhaps just an existentialist), but I think instead he's a devoted realist about value, and simply sees no value in how Americans live ... sacrificing their humanity for money. Ed Tom had two dreams at the end of the movie. In the first he meets his dad in town where his dad gives him some money. Ed Tom loses it (he doesn't care about money). In the second his dad is on horseback carrying a fire in a horn into the cold night ahead. Ed Tom knows when he catches up with his dad there will be warmth and light waiting. I do think it odd, however, that the angel of death would say "Got a screwgee?"

Notice similar shirts worn by Moss, clerk and sheriff end scene retired. Different stages of a character as one is alive by chance (clerk), death Moss (chose the dangerous path) and life Sheriff retires end scene with similar shirt.

I'm a movie guy, and I've never seen a movie then that was so gripping.

Best. Movie. Ever.

7:54 - Did anyone notice that the channel selector knob on the TV has moved exactly 180 degrees in the scenes where Chigur and Bell are sitting on the sofa with the milk?

let me say I love Cinematograper of There will be blood, But Deakins should have won oscar for this.