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Pete takes Mel's killer, Mike, on an unforgettable journey

Equally subtle is the characterization, and much of the film's resonance lies in the relationship that forms between Pete and Mike on their journey. The moment in which we discover why Pete has brought Mike along on his mission is an epiphany—suddenly the film's themes of friendship, judgment and grace come into full focus, and we are left with even more questions to ponder and explore. The film's final words, uttered by Mike, make for one of those great movie endings—a devastating moment that lodges itself in the brain and demands much contemplation from the viewer, summing up the film's meaning even as it allows for multiple interpretations.

Jones' direction is astonishingly assured, and so is his performance. This is the performance fans have always hoped he'd turn in, and he flies right over any expectations we might have for him to repeat his work from The Fugitive. His craggy face seems like it was etched just for a movie like this, and its expressiveness allows him to communicate much while saying little. Pepper is bold and convincing as Mike, a thoroughly unlikable character who nevertheless wins our sympathy. Leo and Jones are heartbreaking as the naïve, frequently exploited female characters.

Jones brings the spirit of Flannery O'Connor to his directorial debut

The cinematography is effective without ever being flashy. The beginning scenes, set in Texas, are shot in dirty, washed out color that only highlights the filth piling up in the lives of the characters—it's just how one tends to imagine a Flannery O'Connor story. As the film progresses into the open landscapes of Mexico, the vistas grow prettier and prettier, culminating in some breathtaking, naturalistic settings at the film's conclusion that again reflects the broadening horizons of Pete and Mike.

Like O'Connor, Jones includes moments of sudden, startling violence. As with O'Connor, these brutalities are anything but random. O'Connor believed that man's depravity renders him almost deaf to the truth, and that sometimes the only way for revelation to occur is for the truth to be broadcast through a megaphone. Jones must feel similarly—in this film violence is often the forerunner of an epiphany, and God's providence works in strange and mysterious ways.

Indeed, Jones has said that the film is about "the mechanics of faith." It's really even more ambitious than that. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is a spiritual exploration so profound and complex that it's impossible to take it all in with one viewing. Like Melquiades' hometown of Jiminez, it's a film that can only truly be seen through the eyes of faith, with one foot on Earth and the other in the Kingdom. Flannery O'Connor wouldn't have had it any other way.

1. Do you think there is a theme of redemption in this movie? Consider the character of Mike Norton and the journey he goes on with Pete—particularly the journey's conclusion, and Mike's final words to Pete.
   
   
2. Consider the character of Pete. What are his motives for bringing Mike on his journey? Is he an admirable character? Why or why not?
   
   
3. What perspectives does the film offer concerning our treatment of the dead?
   
   
4. Do you think anything in the film is symbolic or suggestive of faith? Of grace?

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is entirely deserving of its R rating. It's a dark film with a flair for the grotesque—there's plenty of imagery and thematic material that is entirely inappropriate for children. Moreover, there's foul language throughout the film, and a couple of scenes of sexuality, including fleeting images of nudity. There's little violence, but what violence there is tends to be startling and disturbing. Oh, and there are some rather nasty shots of a decaying corpse.

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© Josh Hurst 2006, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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