Writer Guillermo Arriaga, the wonderfully talented writer behind films like 21 Grams and Babel, wrote Tommy Lee Jones’ beautifully poignant and rich directorial debut film, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. This 2005 film tells a story of redemption and the affirmation of life in a time in which both themes aren’t taken seriously at all. Tommy Lee Jones directs this film with a slow, purposeful gait, making it a film rich in texture and character with a lot of time given to the process of filmmaking and the process of character development.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada stars Jones as Pete Perkins. Perkins is a rancher and a lonely man, so when Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cedillo), an “illegal” Mexican immigrant, comes looking for work, the bond between the pair is instantaneous. Both men know lives of loneliness and separation. Melquiades has left everything to work and he arrives with the clothes on his back, seeking out some semblance of hope. Perkins gives him that hope and the two form a bond that lasts until death and likely beyond.
Barry Pepper is Mike Norton, a border patrol agent from Cincinnati. He and his wife, Lou Ann (January Jones), have moved to Texas because of Mike’s job. Lou Ann quickly becomes bored with her time in Texas and dismayed at the idea that she is no longer the “most popular girl in high school,” so she is drawn to the diner across the street from their mobile home. In the diner, Rachel (Melissa Leo), sees various men for fun out of her own boredom with her own husband and forms a quick bond with Lou Ann. The film focuses on the bonds formed between these characters, as some of them seem out of necessity and some seem more steeped in something genuine.
Eventually, Melquiades is killed in America and the investigation as to his death leaves a lot to be desired. The body of Melquiades has also been routinely buried in the way that an unknown immigrant would be buried, so Perkins decides to champion the cause and takes Melquiades’ body where Melquiades requested he should be buried. There is a chain of events here, without giving anything away, which sets up another newfound relationship between Mike Norton and Perkins, leading on a journey through Mexico that takes on quixotic principles amidst the dangerous surroundings. Perkins is on a moral quest and his sanity comes into play often, as do notions of faith and reality.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Palm. Tommy Lee Jones picked up the award for Best Actor at Cannes and the screenplay by Arriaga won an award as well. The film is considered a “neo-western” in that it does not take place in the traditional historical context of most western films, but it does contain the thematic elements of most westerns. Arriaga’s screenplay is similar to his screenplays for Babel and 21 Grams in that he manipulates the notions of time and truth through what is shown on the screen. Jones directs this ably and with tenderness, as one can tell that Jones’ passion for the project is evident and clear.
The characters in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada are tremendously rich and well-acted. Barry Pepper’s performance as Mike Norton is solid, as he portrays a man who uses violence and rage to overcome his insecurities. As we see in a moment in which he engages his wife in sex, her boredom fuels his frustration in subtle ways that are later taken out on a round of Mexicans heading for the border. Norton’s job as a border patrol agent offers him a unique way to lay out his rage and his emotions and, essentially, take them out on others. This adds to the complexity of his character and makes the journey through Mexico with Perkins and Melquiades’ body all the more compelling.
Much of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is pure poetry. The film unfolds with ideas of redemption and friendship, opening up certain wounds that are likely cast thanks to the ignorant immigration debate in the United States. Having watched the Republican primary last night on television with my wife and seeing largely cold indifference (build a fence, etc.) and blind rhetoric, it was timely to see this film shed a sombre light on this. The struggles for the Mexicans within the fabric of this film are given real time and compassion, but they do not monopolize the plot. They serve as very real individuals, each with a story to tell and each with a compassion that is ultimately human. Their experiences are illustrated beautifully in Arriaga’s other piece, Babel, and they are lightly touched on here.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is a powerful film, but it is also a humble film. There is no sweeping narrative that cashes in for a weepy finale. Instead, the finale as met by Pepper’s Norton is one of despair and sullen resolve. The ending, which is perplexing in its conduct of reality, leaves more questions than answers and that, by all accounts, was the intent of Tommy Lee Jones in his wondrous directorial debut. With his weather worn face and his studied mind, I look forward to more from Jones in the directorial category and hope that he continues putting his thoughts on screen in beautifully textured films such as The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. I highly recommend this film.
9/10
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