3 Burials of Melquiades Estrada

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NOTE: this review was first posted on 4 February. Due to some technical glitch, it has disappeared. So, I am reposting it now. I am also changing the heading of the title of the post so that, hopefully, it won't get confused with any artifact posts in the root directory of this blog.

Review #24 of 365
Film: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada [R] 121 minutes
WIP: $10.75
When 1st Seen: 3 February 2006
Where Viewed: AMC Loews Meridian 16, Seattle, WA
Time: 7:40 p.m.
Review Dedicated to: Seth H. of Philadelphia, PA

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I arrived at the AMC Pacific Place Theater at 7:25 p.m. I approached the ticket window at 7:28 p.m. I asked the ticket agent for a ticket to…darn…I couldn’t remember the name of the film exactly. I racked my brain and finally came up with The Three Burials which, of course, was not listed on the electronic marquee because The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada was not playing at the AMC Pacific Place Theater, and the ticket agent had never even heard of a film with that title. He kindly guessed that maybe it was playing at the AMC Loews Meridian 16. As any of you whom reside in places where there were Loews Cineplex movie theaters may or may not realize, last summer AMC Theaters quietly merged with Loews Cineplex (which used to be two theater chains that merged a while back called Cineplex Odeon and Loews Theaters) continuing the trend of merger mania that has impacted every sector of business in the USA. On the one hand, this has good repercussions as it allows new chains to emerge and take the forefront. On the other hand, it has all sorts of other implications like employees that don’t know what’s going on for a while during the transition. Fortunately, these two theaters are about a block apart, and I was able to get to Meridian just in time to get a particularly unappealing seat but a seat nonetheless and to not watch a few previews. AMC has long prided itself on running the film relatively close to the stated start time, while Loews Cineplex has recently campaigned on the notion that “Our shows start 10-15 minutes after stated start times, so you have plenty of time to enjoy yourself at the concession stand.” I am not sure how this clash of philosophies will eventually work itself out in the merged theaters themselves, however, this time the old Loews Cineplex rules paid off in my favor.

I spent the first 60 minutes of this film, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, hating it. It was next to impossible to figure out what, if anything, was going on. The film begins with a nasty incident between US Border Patrol agent, Mike Norton played by Barry Pepper (the human star of Battlefield Earth not to be confused with John Travolta who played the nasty alien guy), and some illegal aliens—people who try to immigrate without permission not ‘REAL’ aliens. This incident sets the stage for us to understand that Mike Norton is a very emotionless guy—which he is for about 95% of the movie. Later, we meet actor/director Tommy Lee Jones who plays the hero/antihero/hero of the film, Pete aka Pedro Perkins. While this film is literally stuffed to the brim with other eccentric characters and actors such as Sheriff Belmont (Dwight Yoakam), Mike’s wife, Lou Ann (January Jones), and Melquiades Estrada himself (Julio Cedillo), the film is really about Mike and Pete and how Pete takes Mike to task to cleanse his soul of his callous actions that ultimately lead to the three burials of Melquiades Estrada. There are probably no other actors alive that could have played these two roles. Pete requires a blend of mumbling sentimentality mixed with complete cuckoo zeal (think Tommy Lee Jones in Fugitive crossed with Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black II); and, well, to survive Mike’s role required physical torture and abuse of the human body the likes of which I have not seen on film since, well, Hostel --therefore, Barry Pepper (maybe you didn’t catch him in Battlefield Earth, so if not just trust me, this guy could be a Timex®--he takes a licking and keeps on ticking).

After the first 60 minutes, however, things suddenly start to fall into place and make sense. From there the protagonist and antagonist seem to flip flop back and forth a few times, until the very end. I am not afraid to admit that I did shed a tear for Melquiades Estrada, but maybe not for the reasons you will suspect thus far as I have dropped a few hints without giving away too much. Hey! If you think I’m violating my cardinal rule of not giving away plot points by revealing that Melquiades Estrada dies in the movie hold on and think again about the title and no, Mel is not a cat! In any case, suffice it to say that this is sort of a new kind of buddy cop movie where neither of the main guys is really a cop, toss in a little of the Stockholm Syndrome, hire a blind truth-sayer, and you have all the ingredients you need to make, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

This film, which won great critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival (Tommy Lee Jones won best actor and the film won best screen play), is a treat as welcome respite from some of the more historically significant material in theaters right now as well as some of the fluff. Three Burials will challenge your ability to pick up on nuances of what is going on in the beginning and then, later, your conscience to ascertain the legitimacy of the events that befall Mike Norton. What would have made the film a bit stronger? Lopping off about 30 minutes here and there. A tighter story would have been just as powerful, and maybe not so meandering. Still, I enjoyed the film a great deal. Tommy Lee Jones the next Clint Eastwood? Maybe. You be the judge.

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Now Available for Purchase on DVD

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The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada [DVD] (2005) DVD