RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
86 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:225

Fresh:194

Rotten:31

Average Rating:8.1/10

Consensus: A beautifully epic Western, Brokeback Mountain's gay love story is embued with heartbreaking universality, helped by the moving performances of Ledger and Gyllenhaal.

Rated: 15

Runtime: 2 hrs 15 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:06-01-2006

Synopsis: From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee comes an epic American love story, based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by the team of... From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee comes an epic American love story, based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by the team of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Set against the sweeping vistas of Wyoming and Texas, the film tells the story of two young men – a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy – who meet in the summer of 1963, and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, one whose complications, joys and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. Early one morning in Signal, Wyoming, Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) meet while lining up for employment with local rancher Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid). The world which Ennis and Jack have been born into is at once changing rapidly and yet scarcely evolving. Both young men seem certain of their set places in the heartland – obtaining steady work, marrying and raising a family – and yet hunger for something beyond what they can articulate. When Aguirre dispatches them to work as sheepherders up on the majestic Brokeback Mountain, they gravitate towards camaraderie and then a deeper intimacy. At summer's end, the two must come down from Brokeback and part ways. Remaining in Wyoming, Ennis weds his sweetheart Alma (Michelle Williams), with whom he will have two daughters as he ekes out a living. Jack, in Texas, catches the eye of a rodeo queen Lureen Newsome (Anne Hathaway). Their courtship and marriage result in a son, as well as jobs in her father's business. Four years pass. One day, Alma brings Ennis a postcard from Jack, who is en route to visit Wyoming. Ennis waits expectantly for his friend, and when Jack at last arrives, in just one moment it is clear that the passage of time has only strengthened the men's attachment. In the years that follow, Ennis and Jack struggle to keep their secret bond alive. They meet up several times annually. Even when they are apart, they face the eternal questions of fidelity, commitment and trust. Ultimately, the one constant in their lives is a force of nature – love. -- © Focus Features [More]

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, Randy Quaid, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Valerie Planche

Director: Ang Lee

Director: Ang Lee
Screenwriter: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Producer: Diana Ossana, James Schamus
Composer: Gustavo Santaolalla
Studio: Focus Features

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Brokeback Mountain

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The whole movie is a rich, spacious, passionate way of showing, not telling, feelings that dare not speak their name -- and doing so with superb intelligence and magnificent candour.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
01/07/06
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Observer [UK]

Lee has taken a story of gay love and placed it where it should be -- in the mainstream. He’s delivered a beautifully crafted film to boot.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
12/22/05
Dave Calhoun
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

All four central cast members have moments of transparency that shake us to the core.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/30/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Arguably Ang Lee's best film, this swooning, achingly sad near-masterpiece offers a universal love story that lingers long in the mind.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
11/21/08
Leslie Felperin
Leslie Felperin
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Brokeback Mountain is a truly epic romance story from a director at the peak of his powers.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
12/20/05
Stella Papamichael
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Nothing in Ledger's string of previously wooden performances can prepare you for how good he is here - the deep seated sense of heartfelt longing he conveys is devastating to watch.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
01/07/06
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Brokeback Mountain is about as close to perfection as it's possible to come in modern Hollywood.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
01/15/06
Joe Utichi
Joe Utichi
FilmFocus

[A] powerful and moving film, a smart study of relationships that could but can’t and never will be.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Damon Wise
Damon Wise
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Not a weepy gay love story.

Full Review Source: FilmsInReview.com | comment Comment
01/17/06
Victoria Alexander
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

Just a well-made, well-acted melodrama that is quiet and reflective instead of big and bombastic.

Full Review Source: NYC Film Critic | comment Comment
12/30/06
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
NYC Film Critic

The movie is too tame and too clumsy to be worth much outside its "groundbreaking" status.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment 1 Comment
12/08/05
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

A gallery of worthy performances, crisp direction and a quietly graceful script make Brokeback Mountain something of a landmark in Hollywood's 2005 slate of movies.

Full Review Source: Cinema Writer | comment Comment
08/20/06
Jay Antani
Jay Antani
Cinema Writer

I didn't feel an "emotional" connection with this film that pretty much relies on such an emotional feeling to work.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
01/23/06
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

[Ledger's] character is much more laconic, self-contained and folksy in the McMurtry tradition, yet he communicates an inner pathos that's uniquely, profoundly touching. It's the year's most haunting and unforgettable performance.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
12/20/05
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A lyrical tone poem of a movie that's a haunting tribute to the great frontiers of love.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
12/13/05
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Sorrowful and beautiful

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
12/31/05
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Enough with the 'gay cowboy' label. The term is more or less accurate, I suppose, but the phrase has a way of diminishing this amazing movie’s focus and reach.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
12/18/05
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

A film of extreme tenderness, with sympathy for all its deserving characters, including the wives and family members who suffer alongside the frustrated Jack and Ennis.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
01/13/06
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

It may not be the best movie ever made about homosexuality, but it's more than deserving to be the one that finally gets average viewers to pay attention.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
12/30/05
Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Las Vegas Weekly

The fine details of the West are as precise as you would expect from a McMurtry piece, and Lee's adroitness with the excellent cast is on full display, particularly in the brave and moving performances of Ledger and Gyllenhaal.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
09/05/05
Ray Bennett
Ray Bennett
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
all

Latest News for Brokeback Mountain

November 13, 2009: James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
James Schamus might be a workaholic. If it's not enough that he's the head of Focus Features -- the independent imprint of Universal -- he's also an established producer and... More...

November 12, 2009: Five Favourite Films with Ang Lee
The rule that no two Ang Lee movies are ever the same is confidently kept intact with the release of his latest, Taking Woodstock, a comedy about the true story behind the... More...

January 29, 2008: No Country for Old Men Takes Top Honors at SAG Awards
Blessed with a waiver by its striking brethren in the Writers Guild, the Screen Actors Guild was able to turn Sunday's SAG Awards ceremony into one of the only "real" awards... More...

January 22, 2008: Heath Ledger: 1979-2008
Heath Ledger, star of films including Brokeback Mountain, 10 Things I Hate About You, and the forthcoming The Dark Knight, was found dead this afternoon. He was 28. More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
118
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
178
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
85
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
59
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
45
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
43
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
26
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
21
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
10
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
20
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
7
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Brokeback Mountain at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Brokeback Mountain at IGN
  • Brokeback Mountain at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.