So I saw the gay cowboy movie.  And you know what?  Western Civilization has not come to an end.  Nor have my values come crashing down around me.  Nor has Hollywood dishonored the tradition of the "Western."   In truth, Brokeback Mountain is a very nicely executed, well acted character piece.  It's not extraordinary.  And it would not be my choice for Best Picture, but I am glad I saw it.

Heath Ledger does a fine job in a very nuaced role, and Jake Gyllenhall has some very strong scenes as well.  But for a movie hyped for its gay theme, this film is not really erotic or sensational.  Instead, it's tragic; it moves at the pace of a measured character fugue which at times can be frustrating and at others can be heartbreaking.  Ang Lee has worked in this vein before.  If you have seen his The Ice Storm, you know the almost Greek-like tragedy he can evoke from his material.  Unfortunately,  Brokeback Mountain did not move me the way The Ice Storm did.  And I'm a crier at movies. 

Once again, we fall victim to the hype machine.   This movie is a nicely executed character piece.  But all the controversy about dishonoring cowboys and the American West is just a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing at all.  Nothing but right wing political spin.