CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 12/09/05

Not Worth The Climb

By danny munso

Brokeback Mountain

Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana
Based on the short story by E. Annie Proulx

Brokeback Mountain tells the tragic love story between a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy who meet and fall in love while herding sheep in the summer of 1963, and, while it is incredibly refreshing to see a homosexual relationship portrayed so honestly on the big screen, the script becomes too uneven and, dare I say, ordinary. Although the film has its share of powerful moments, most of them can be attributed to the performances, particularly by Heath Ledger as the practically mute Ennis and Michelle Williams as his wife Alma. Where the script does get it right are in touching scenes with Ennis and his daughter Alma Jr. (Kate Mara) and its portrayal of Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) as a lonely, brash young man who, unlike Ennis, may not have learned anything by the film's conclusion. But this hardly atones for bigger discrepancies, especially in the men's relationships with their wives. I understand their true loves are one another, but the treatment of their spouses is hard to swallow. In the end, the film's love story may indeed be groundbreaking, but its script is strictly run-of-the-mill.

Brokeback Mountain
Focus Features
Rated R; 134 min.

Buy tickets now

Buy the poster

Danny Munso graduated from film school in 2004 and can currently be found on his computer working on one of his many half-written screenplays. Or, more likely, he's on the Internet checking the scores of his beloved Bay Area sports teams.

From the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss in their own words a particular aspect of screenwriting, from the mechanics of writing to the personal and professional impact that writing has had on their lives. > VIEW ARCHIVE

The Art of Craft
Screenwriting experts discuss how to approach various aspects of writing and the writing life. A mini-seminar each week from the people who write the books and teach the classes. > VIEW ARCHIVE

The Big Picture

Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Expert Witness
A panel of experts assembled to provide the facts about the screenwriting business. Readers will be able have their questions answered by an agent, producer, entertainment attorney, and WGA representative—and without paying that 10% commission. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Son of a Pitch
A weekly tutorial on how to write a script. Each week deals with a different element of creating a script, with the ultimate goal to provide a step-by-step instruction manual for new writers. The guide for this is a writer just diving into screenwriting himself, who asks the pros questions any new screenwriter would have about this brave new world. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Weekend Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a writer’s perspective. How can these items help a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey more enjoyable? > VIEW ARCHIVE

DVD Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate the writing, development, and storytelling process? > VIEW ARCHIVE