Woody Harrelson’s broken heart
An odd recollection can be found in David Carr‘s 11.25 N.Y. Times interview with No Country for Old Men costar Woody Harrelson. The feminist attacks upon The People vs. Larry Flynt “sort of broke my heart,†Harrelson says, “because what people were saying really had nothing to do with the work and what it was about. It was just politics.†And so he took five years off to lick his wounds? I’ve lost count how many times I’ve had my heart broken and wanted to hide out in some faraway place and do nothing. But it wasn’t an option.
I read this piece. Does it matter what the break was for? The guy’s married with children and wants to watch them grow up. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a criminal thing. that being said, I liked him in NCFOM. I thought his brief scenes were traight and to the point and I always get the impression that the Woodman is enjoying just the chance to get to do what he does, which he clearly does. More power to him.
he’s charmed, no doubt. home much dough was he sitting on to hang out for 5yrs with a family in hawaii, 5-10 million?
Gotta have more than that. I mean, if DDL can go YEARS and YEARS between flicks, and I doubt he makes anything close to what the Woodman was making before his break, than I am sure that Wooder can afford to live in Hawaii for as long as he wants. I have some friends who live there. I’d not wanna leave it ever either.
Not only does he have film money… but “Cheers” money as well. I’m sure he’s still getting steady paychecks from that gig.
The funny thing is that some people who should hide out in the woods but ‘can’t’ are the ones who should.
What five-year break? The whole premise of this thread is overstated BS. Harrelson may have slowed down a bit after Larry Flynt (and given his limited big-screen appeal, let alone the number of flops he’s been in, that may not have been entirely his choice) but he never completely stopped working. Check out his IMDB profile – he has a lengthy list of film and TV credits between then and now. He also did some theatre work in the U.S. and abroad, not to mention the fact that he’s been a front-and-center environmental activist. So the guy hasn’t exactly been sitting on his ass twiddling his thumbs.
Good for him. He’s also a prolific activist which cuts into Hollywood time too. Why not?
What five-year break?
Those silly movies Harrelson did at the beginning of the decade don’t count.
Based on all the raves on this site and others…went to see No Country…and I d i d n o t g e t it! Help me! What was this about? And is Moss dead or alive? And who shot Anton? And did he kill the Mrs. Did tommy lee jones retire?
too much dangling stuff.
I believe Woody owns land in Costa Rica or Belize that grows “commercial” marijuana.
Chicago48, are you kidding?
Anyhow, great little interview. I’ve always liked Harrelson. He seems to do quality stuff more often than not. There’s nothing wrong with that in my books. He can take years off if he wants – if he only ever pops up in films like NCFOM, then that’s awesome.
I believe Woody owns land in Costa Rica or Belize that grows “commercial” marijuana.
no country was great, one of the years best, moss was killed by the other bandits, his wife, well what do you think, and i dug tommy lee waxing on the world going to hell, while in fact it was going to hell courtesy on Anton C!!
Aladdin — I read somewhere a while back that he moved to Belize or Costa Rica and that he had a “farm” for commercial growth of marij, which is legal….and you know that hemp is used for oils and clothing don’t you?
Chicago48, I was referring to the statements about No Country, not the hemp.
No offense to the Woodman, but I never noticed he was “gone.”
Not to hijack this thread, but there are A LOT of folks who have no idea that Anton killed the Mrs. Seriously. We can debate the film all we like (I loved the book and loved the film) but there is a large amount of folks who saw it and were not sure of how it ended and what happened to that one character. Pretty sure I just repeated myself.
Eotw: I have 20 questions about this movie and that’s not good for me or the public….word of mouth will kill this movie because it left too many unanswered questions. Now, I didn’t know the mexicans killed Moss. I didn’t know that was Moss’ body in the morgue. When his wife gets out the cab at first I thought Moss, and then there’s the funeral and she’s burying her mother, so I got confused — who died? And why would Anton kill the wife if Moss and the mom were dead? What’s his reasoning?
And if he had the money, why did he get out of the car without the money. If the Mexicans got the money….was he going to chase the mexicans.
This was a very unsatisfying movie for me and I think the general public will walk away from it. No one wants to see a movie about a serial killer.
Anton killed the Mrs. because he told Moss he was going to kill her if he didn’t turn the cash over to him. Moss, didn’t and he died and Anton did what he said he would do. In the book, IIRC and someone tell me if I’m wrong, the sheriff just goes to the morgue where Moss is laid out to find him dead.
I think there are plenty of people who want to see films, well made films or not, about serial killers, but AC isn’t a serial killer. At least, not the common movie variety.
EOTW: Well we can argue till the cows come in…the plot holes started when Moss saw the dead guy under the tree and the satchel of money. Now, if that guy was killed, why was the money still there with him? Plot hole #1.
I also got confused about the Texas towns, from Del Rio to Odessa to El Paso (did I miss one?) and the various hotels everybody was in. I lost count of who got killed and in what hotel/motel. And those no-name Mexicans running around looking for people, how did they know to find them?
Okay, I’m stoopid….but that was $7.50 and 2 hours wasted…could have waited for video.
Yeah, Chicago, I had a similar problem.
I saw Moss lying on the floor with a big-ass bloody bullet hole in his chest, but then I forgot that I’d seen it — just “bloop!” spaced.
So I was confused, too. I was wondering what happened to Moss all through the credits. Then I went out and told everybody it sucked. Then I got home and remembered that Moss had, in fact, been shown dead.
“Midnight Run” is a movie that also confused me. Why did the characters have to go to so many different places? And the majority of the movie does not, in fact, take place at midnight.
thanks for putting a
on my face…this was a comedy right?
“the plot holes started when Moss saw the dead guy under the tree and the satchel of money. Now, if that guy was killed, why was the money still there with him? Plot hole #1.”
There was a shootout. Everyone else was killed where they stood/sat, but the guy with the satchel was not fatally hit. He started to flee with the money, then died from his wounds. No one else at the scene was alive except for the “agua” guy who was pretty well incapacitated.
Right? That’s from my recollection of the book, hopefully going to see the film this week.
The fuck is wrong with you assholes? SOME PEOPLE haven’t seen “No Country For Old Men” yet. Are you all as tactless as Wells?
“And why would Anton kill the wife if Moss and the mom were dead? What’s his reasoning?”
All I can say is that was one of the underpinnings of the entire movie. If this bit didn’t work for you, well then I guess this one just wasn’t your cup of tea. No harm in that.
I admit I was confused about whether Anton got the money or not. In the book, he did get the money and gave it back to its rightful owners before setting out to kill Carla Jean.
The movie makes a couple of different turns from the book, but I don’t think that’s one of them.
I’d also argue that unclear turns of plot are different than plot holes. The former can be reconciled on additional viewings. The latter cannot.
I agree though that the need to see this movie more than once probably kills its awards and box office chances. Its place as a classic? Only history can decide that. It’s secure as my favorite movie of the year, however.
I think that the lukewarm reception of this film by the public (and I don’t mena critics or those of us who frequent this place who admire the pic) and also by the Academy (judging from the word of mouth coming out of those screenings) is going to cast a lot of doubts on this film’s Oscar run. I think that, before going in, the film was looking like a BP lock, a BSA for Bardem and easily a adapted screenplay nom and possibly directing. Gonna have to go out and predict that it might pull the screenplay nom just cause its the Coens, and POSSIBLY Bardem still gets nominated, maybe, but I don’t think it gets a BP or director nod at all. I just don’t see it happening.
I love Bardem’s work in this, but I have to admit that the lukewarm reception might spell good things in store for Tom Wilkinson. His turn in MICHAEL CLAYTON is still getting talked about and people LOVE him in it and dig the hell out of that pic. In a perfect world, Bardem, TW and Bob Downey for ZODIAC all get the noms they deserve, but time will tell on this one.
Oh, and Cate going for a Best Actress nod for I’m NOT THERE instead of BA is a BIG mistake. She’s gone from a lock to uncertainty at best.
Supposed to be BSA.
I think Chicago48 is doing some kind of performance art.
Or is just retarded.
I vote retarded.
Okay, I admit to stupid but not retarded. And one more thing, why did the sheriff have Anton in handcuffs sitting BEHIND him….don’t you have prisoners in jail or sitting in FRONT of you while you talk on the phone?
Just thinking here.
Okay, I admit to stupid but not retarded. And one more thing, why did the sheriff have Anton in handcuffs sitting BEHIND him….don’t you have prisoners in jail or sitting in FRONT of you while you talk on the phone?
Just thinking here. ( this was a black comedy, right?)
jesus, the guys who saw it and didnt get it were not paying attention, they showed moss dead, of course he killed mrs moss – he said he would, thats the gist he was a man of principle. for some people movie watching is a casual experience, they wander in 5 mns before the film starts looking for a seat, they dont pay attention and when its over you can see them their like ‘duhhh, i didnt get it, it sucked.’
the spanish guys got the money, they found out from his mother in law remember!!! see it again mopes..
sorry for giving it away, really…
Yeah, except the Mexicans didn’t get the money. They killed Moss, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that they found the money in the AC duct.
The coin on the carpet next to the screws and the grate that Bell sees when he searches the motel room are meant to show Chigurh got the money.
“Who looks stupid now?”
ok CJ i missee that, im a mope, i thought that was Antons exit, because he was in the room so how did the sheriff not see him…
Just the fact that people on this board and others are disagreeing over who got the money and when and where shows that it was a poorly scripted(or directed) movie…and there are so many dangling unanswered questions. You should read the message boards on this….movies are not supposed to make you keep wondering “what happened”….there has to be some resolution…either on screen or in your mind.
“Just the fact that people on this board and others are disagreeing over who got the money and when and where shows that it was a poorly scripted(or directed) movie.”
Just the fact that you would write that sentence shows that you’re a complete moron with no credibility in any serious film discussion. Stay at home and watch the Lifetime Movie Network, you’ll be a lot happier, and a lot less confused.
I really liked the movie. Since I haven’t seen anyone else mention them, however, I’ll point out two anachronisms that briefly took me out of the movie.
-Moss calls a body shop (his employer?) and gets the answering machine
-A fleabag motel offers free HBO
It’s set in 1980 so I’m guessing both those things are unlikely…
Jesus, what’s with calling everyone moron and retard? It’s ok not to like the movie and it’s ok to have not been clear about every turn of plot. It doesn’t mean anything. It is what it is. “Nothing is fucked here, dude.”
Vansmith. That whole “is Chigurh in the motel or isn’t he” thing has lots of people confused. In the book, Chigurh is in the car in the parking lot watching Bell go in. He’s already been in and gotten the money.
In the movie, I think Bell imagines Chigurh inside. It’s a visualization of his fear throughout the movie. When he goes in, they’re careful to show that the only means of escape is a window which has been locked from the inside so he couldn’t have been there.
Interestingly, in the book Bell feels he’s being watched (and he is) so he drives off, calls for back up and waits down the road to see if anyone leaves the parking lot when help arrives. No one does. When they search all the cars, no one is there, though it was made clear Chigurh was there when Bell first showed up.
I’m repeating what other people have pointed out elsewhere, but there you go.
I liked the movie too until 3/4 into it, and then I started questioning a lot of things. I’m not a moron…and I understand that the title equates with the theme of the movie…no country (this country) for old men (Tommy lee jones) and how the sheriff feels that he’s being outmatched and outgunned that the border is being overrun with lawlessness. That’s the way we all feel whether in the urban or farm country.
Maybe Anton symbolized the young man, no sense of morals or regret about what he does….but at the end the old guy Jones was talking to basically said nothing had changed in 100 years…it was just the way Jones felt. He was getting old and the youngsters he was training didn’t know squat.
I get that, I just wanted resolution at the end, is that too much to ask?
You’re not alone Chicago48 and you’re not wrong. All I can say is that for some people the movie gets better the more they see it.
3 times in I still can’t explain exactly what it all adds up to or why I liked it so much. It’s worked on me in a way that movies only occasionally do. Like great poetry.
Indefinable but moving and beautiful.
Or maybe I’m the retard.
Chicago – I hope, for your own sake, this is a joke.
“What was this about?”
The movie is about how, as you get older, you begin to feel more and more that death is chasing after you, and you begin to realize that you can’t do anything to stop it. When you are a police officer, and you reach that point, it is bittersweet because (a) you survived, but (b) you can’t do your job anymore.
“And is Moss dead or alive?”
Moss is dead, as symbolized by the multiple times they show his dead body.
“And who shot Anton?”
I’m not sure when you mean, but Moss is the only person shown shooting Anton (though I personally think it’s likely that the Mexicans shot him as well).
“And did he kill the Mrs.”
Yes, as explained by him checking his boots.
“Did tommy lee jones retire?”
Yes, as explained by the scene where his wife says that he is now retired. (I am going to refrain from making the Borat pun here to describe you.)
“Now, I didn’t know the mexicans killed Moss. I didn’t know that was Moss’ body in the morgue.”
Not sure what to tell you. Were you drunk, or possibly asleep when you saw the movie? Next time, try not to be either.
“When his wife gets out the cab at first I thought Moss, and then there’s the funeral and she’s burying her mother, so I got confused — who died?”
Yes, her husband was shot and then, some unspecified amount of time later, her mother died of the cancer which was mentioned five times (at least).
“And why would Anton kill the wife if Moss and the mom were dead? What’s his reasoning?”
Again, try watching the movie when not in a drunken sleep; it’s surprisingly that everything you are asking about is explicitly stated in the movie.
“And if he had the money, why did he get out of the car without the money.”
This question makes no sense.
“Now, if that guy was killed, why was the money still there with him? Plot hole #1.”
He was shot, fled, stopped under the tree, and bled to death.
“I also got confused about the Texas towns, from Del Rio to Odessa to El Paso (did I miss one?) and the various hotels everybody was in.”
You should pay more attention to the fact that they all look completely different and are recognizably individual, and worry less about the fact that they are all technically hotels and motels. There are only three hotel/motels, and they are not only distinct, but they never repeat; once somebody leaves one, the movie never returns to it.
“And those no-name Mexicans running around looking for people, how did they know to find them?”
The Mexicans have a copy of the transponder and, later, get the information from Moss’s mother-in-law.
“And one more thing, why did the sheriff have Anton in handcuffs sitting BEHIND him….”
Because they’re stupid smalltown cops who are not used to dealing with pure evil like Chigurh; most people can’t dislocate their arms sufficiently to do what he does in the opening scene, so most people can’t do much once their hands are cuffed behind them.
“Maybe Anton symbolized the young man, no sense of morals or regret about what he does….but at the end the old guy Jones was talking to basically said nothing had changed in 100 years…it was just the way Jones felt. He was getting old and the youngsters he was training didn’t know squat.”
Yes, the point is that America is no country for old men and never has been. The older you get, the more useless you feel, and the more you realize that the world isn’t getting any better. And the young people seem dumb, because they’re focusing on such trivial things.
I mean, in trying to sum these themes up, I’m doing them a disservice, because they are abstract and not meant to be expressed verbally.
“I get that, I just wanted resolution at the end, is that too much to ask?”
I genuinely don’t understand what’s not resolved. Moss and his whole family are dead, Chigurh got the money back but did not escape unpunished by fate, and Bell is retired because he’s too old and can no longer hack it. What more could possibly be resolved?
You remind me of the old lady sitting next to me when I saw it. At the end, she was upset, and said, “I hate it when they leave everything open for the sequel like that.”
sean you said it all, but having to explain it all destroys some of the cache, it destroys the coens attempt at violence and subtlety, 100yrs ago the world was even for violent, especially out there where they were. its a haunting picture, i saw footsteps outside my hollywood apartment last night like i’ll do occasionally but this time i got the image on Anton C in my head, i was like…whoa
Thank you Sean, I’ll see it again — on video!