The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada ★★★★ 2005 (R)

Powerful meditation on the brutality of the U.S-Mexico border region. Rancher Pete Perkins (Jones) forces Mike Norton (Pepper) to carry the body of Pete's friend Melquiades Estrada (Cedillo) from their dusty Texas border town to the dead man's home in Mexico for burial in his family cemetery. But the bigger story is how their journey acts as a metaphor for the alltoo human boundaries of wealth, sex, race, and religion. Norton, a racist patrol officer (and Estrada's murderer) is transformed from a thug with a badge into a man who must seek redemption after his eyes are opened to the weight of his actions. Amazing performances are buoyed by Arriaga's knowing script. 120m/C DVD . Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakam, January Jones, Melissa Leo, Levon Helm, Vanessa Bauche, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Mel Rodriguez, Cecilia Suarez, Ignacio Guadalupe; D: Tommy Lee Jones; W: Guillermo Arriaga; C: Chris Menges; M: Marco Beltrami.

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