The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) – 1.5/5

An unpleasant, poorly written, directed, and edited film by Tommy Lee Jones. Lots of dumb, incomprehensible scenes featuring unlikable characters doing stupid things. And January Jones plays the same dull, unemotional character in this that she would go on to play in Mad Men, minus the 50s clothes. A huge stretch, I’m sure.

The first 20 minutes or so are promising enough, and it’s beautifully shot and pretty well acted, but it’s so badly directed that it becomes a chore to watch. Didn’t anyone tell Tommy that basing an entire film around having to carry a dead body vast distances never works? It’s like a serious western adaptation of Weekend at Bernie’s. And the ending, oy, I can’t even get into it. To its credit, they do put the border patrol guy through the ringer; he’s a hell of an actor, and fearless. Still, quite terrible. Avoid.