The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada (or, Chop Off Your Penis and Come To Texas)

“The Three Burials Of Melquiaqdes Estrada” is known around the blocks as Tommy-Lee Jones’ directorial debut, and an impressive debut it is. More notable though “Three Burials…” marks another notch in the belt of Mexican screenwriter, Guillermo Arriaga, who crashed onto the international film scene with his script for “Amores Perros” and “21 Grams”. Arriagas mainstay is gutted, emotionally-drained characters and Three Burials delivers in spades.

Set in modern day Texas, the film opens with the discovery of the body of Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cedillo) who, as the title suggests, will receive three burials before the gritty saga has run its course. Finding the county sheriff unresponsive, old school cowboy, Pete (Tommy-Lee Jones) takes it upon himself to uncover the circumstances of his friend’s death and to make good on his promise to return him to his village in Mexico. To this end Pete forcibly enlists the help of border patrolman, Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) who, as the plot unravels, is inextricably linked to the fates of Pete and Mequiades.

There has been a minor resurgence of westerns on our screens in recent months and all of them have sought on some level to dissect the idea of masculinity. “Brokeback Mountain” pitted men against their inner desires and “The Proposition” set them against their inner savage, now “Three Burials” finds masculinity itself in crisis. Here, in the heart of “Marlboro country”, the police, the border patrol, even the cowboys are bureaucratically neutered, impotent or sexually incompetent leaving their women to scavenge for gratification.

It is a well-worn adage but landscape is most definitely the main character of this film. Not because of the way it has been shot, though Chris Menges’ camera does desperately makes love to the dusty grandeur of Texas, but because the inhabitants have been so indelibly marked by its overbearing immensity. Against the vastness of the west, all human endeavours seem futile.

That Tommy Lee Jones is able to find dramatic tension in such an inert personal landscape is impressive. Where the film could have easily wallowed listlessly in obliqueness Jones musters the energy to drive it forwards by heading south. Arriga is obviously less critical of life below of the border. The Mexican characters are the least layered of the film, though they do stand as an effective contrast to the American way of life so, despite the increasingly idyllic surroundings, the tone of the film grows decidedly more menacing the further south the men travel.

Like the best westerns Tommy Lee Jones takes the men on an inward journey as well as an outward one. Barry Pepper comes into his element after he crosses the Rio Grande and Tommy Lee Jones expertly teeters on the edge of insanity. And with in Melquiades’ cadaverous presence in tow Arringa ensures that that this descent into hell has clear metaphysical undertones.

Ultimately, “Three Burials” is an arresting look at life on the modern day frontier from both sides of the border. Its pessimistic view of modern day Texas is played out by impressive performances and understated directorial flair. Highly recommended.

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