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Amos Lassen wrote on 07/09/2012:

“Brokeback Mountain is the “first film produced by a Hollywood studio to feature a gay romance that doesn’t involve drag queens, AIDS or buffoonery… is an essential film that belongs in every library”. These are the words of a fellow reviewer and while “Brokeback Mountain” knocked down barriers, I, personally, do not feel it is the movie so many have praised it to be. “Our story begins in 1963 where outside a sheep ranch trailer, Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger) eyes Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and there’s a spark. Both men agree to go up to Brokeback Mountain with a herd of sheep. The plan is that the quiet, taciturn Ennis will stay nights in the camp and the comparably outgoing Jack will sleep some distance away with the sheep. On one cold, drunken night Ennis crawls into the tent with Jack and they cuddle. One things leads to another and they have fierce, non-affectionate sex. Jack says “It’s no one’s business but ours.” Their relationship that summer develops into one of mutual affection and fun. For lovers of male nudity, both men are shown washing themselves and there are superb butt shots. Later on in the film, they both dive naked off a cliff. Apparently the director has edited out any full frontal nudity. When the summer ends, the young men are separated and the pain is palpable. In a perfect world Jack and Ennis will leave together, set up a home and live happily ever after. But not in Wyoming in 1963 — cowboys don’t fall in love. Ennis weeps in pain at their separation, but life must go on. Ennis marries Alma (Michelle Williams) and they have two little girls. Jack plays on the rodeo circuit for a few years until he settles down with Lureen. But Brokeback Mountain is a refrain both men hear in their heads as their lives develop. Jack sends Ennis a postcard that he’s coming through town, can he stop by? Of course he can. At Jack’s arrival Ennis runs down the stairs and their kiss is so powerful, it’s a force of nature that can’t be stopped. An affair held in secret, on fishing trips where no fish is caught, these two men make love when and where they can”.

True, the cinematography is gorgeous and the acting is fine and it is beautiful to watch. We see real human interaction and the lovemaking scenes are quite powerful as the film depicts a homosexual relationship that is thwarted by society.

For those of us that grew up during the 1960’s, this is the way it was. It was not easy to be gay back then and our heroes in the film were lucky to have a place, a larger closet, than most of us had, to show their feelings for each other. Many have called this “a gay cowboy movie” which it is not. It is much more than that—it is a love story about to people who were unable to share how they felt about each other and were taken away from each other. But here is where I differ from others—there is really nothing new here except that the lovers are both men. We have seen this story over and over again just not from the gay perspective. I have read many positive reviews and believe it or not there are as many negative reviews. This is not a negative review. It is a statement of my opinion. This review is based upon the blu ray release of the film. Below are the extras on this edition.

“On Being a Cowboy” — Stunt horse riders talk about what great work Heath Ledger did on the horses. They were nice about city boy Jake Gyllenhaal’s abilities on a horse. Not much learned here.

“Directing from the Heart” — With the absence of a director’s commentary this is as far as we get into the mind of Ang Lee – and there isn’t much here. The film is mostly cast and crew members saying how great Ang is to work with.

“From Script to Screen” — Probably the best of the extras, this one features Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry talking about the process of writing their screenplay. Quite fascinating is the revelation that Diana wrote the guy’s lines and Larry wrote the women’s.

“Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain” — Made for Logo TV, this is largely a glossy treatment to get gay people into the theaters. Total fluff. Sorry people, but the extras on this disc could be a little beefier.

OKLAHOMA COWBOY wrote on 12/23/2009:

CA STUDENT DID NOT GROW UP IN THIS ERA. THIS IS OBVIOUS. I DID AND THE STORY HITS IT ON THE HEAD. MY STORY IS ABOUT THE SAME, EXCEPT THAT I DID NOT MEET SOME ONE TILL MUCH LATER IN LIFE. WHAT I KNOW NOW, I WOULD HAVE CHANGED EVERY THING I DID THEN.
I SAW BBM 12 TIMES. I DON'T REGRET IT, I CRIED. I SPOKE WITH MANY PEOPLE AFTER THE MOVIE WAS OVER AND THEY AGREED IT WAS VERY GOOD. FULL HOUSES AND NOT A GIGGLE, CAT CALL, MOAN, ETC. THERE WAS CRYING. I AM IN A VERY CONSERVITIVE REPUBLICIAN AREA .

Pug wrote on 12/26/2006:

CA Student said:
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CA Student wrote on 06/13/2006:
So, I'm a gay man from So Cal and I was all excited to see this film. I thought, finally a mainstream film dealing with gay issues. What a disappointment. Everyone I know thought that this movie was completely over-rated and pointless. There was really no storyline. It was horrible and quite boring. And I thouhgt that it did not deserve any awards. The only reason it won anything was because of its "content" that's all. They were pity awards. It especially did not deserve the Oscar for Best Score. As a musician, i felt that it was a simple, crass, annoying, and downright painful to listen too.
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This person seems to have had everything handed to him since he is totally clueless what a struggle being gay was in the not too distant past. BBM was a transforming experience for many people and groundbreaking in helping to change the way gay people are viewed. Beyond being just a story, the film (and book) created characters that continue to live on in many people's hearts and minds.

DetCarGuy wrote on 11/15/2006:

This film was far too negative and played like the self-loathing films of the 70's like "Boys In The Band". It might have been appropriate for the beginning, but this was supposed to be over a 20 year time span. These charactors did not grow and all their misery was tied to their being gay. Finally when one charactor finds happiness he is gay-bashed to death. This is film is totally out of step with reality, and so self loathing that I left the theatre feeling gay-bashed myself.

Josh wrote on 08/15/2006:

As of August 2006, I have seen Brokeback Mountain thirteen times--eight times in the theater and five times on my TLA DVD. Every time I start the DVD, I think, "I 'know' this film; why am I watching it again?" but that feeling evaporates within five minutes. Heath Ledger and Jake Gylenhall give such perfect, nuanced performances that they're a joy to watch again and again. The scene near the end of the movie in which Ledger's Ennis Del Mar visits Gylenhall's Jack Twist's parents at their home in Lightning Flat, WY gives me chills each time I see it; it's that perfect! Every film student should analyze this film in depth. Having given Brokeback Mountain a rave review, though, I feel the need to point out that it is a romance. It's much easier for love to burn intensely when you see the object of your affection twice a year and don't have to live with that person on a daily basis. One wonders how long Ennis and Jack would have lasted if they were "ranched up" together.