The road trip movie is about as old as Hollywood itself, be it in comedic, dramatic or some other genre form. Although occasionally featuring just a solo traveler, there are usually two or more such characters who learn something about themselves and each other along the way. Accordingly, nearly all such tales abide by the journey rather than the destination being important doctrine.
The same holds true for "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada," a dramatic entry in the genre that serves as actor Tommy Lee Jones' big screen directorial debut. The difference in this offering -- penned by Guillermo Arriaga of "21 Grams" and "Amores Perros" fame -- is that one of the travelers doesn't actively participate in the journey.
Oh, he's along for the ride, but as the title obviously suggests, Melquiades Estrada is present in body only. Having been unceremoniously buried and unearthed twice already, he's on his way home courtesy of his unlikely friend -- played by Jones -- who promised to return him to his family and favorite spot.
Of course, when Jones' Pete agreed to that, he didn't realize that Estrada -- played by Julio Cedillo when alive -- would die so soon, let alone at the hands and rifle of the border patrolman played by Barry Pepper. Accident or not, Pete is enraged by what's happened to his friend. Knowing justice will not be served the legal way, he takes matters into his own hands and returns the body to its rightful burial place.
But in one of those macho cinematic ways, Pete doesn't kill Mike first out of revenge. Instead, he makes the initially unsympathetic character (he earlier forces his wife to have sex, and punches an illegal immigrant in the face for crossing the border) dig up his friend and help transport the body across the border to Mexico.
While that might make some viewers think of "Weekend at Bernie's" (where Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman drag their dead boss all over the city, pretending he's alive), this one's played on the straight and narrow, and at times it's quite (and often quietly) powerful.
Being a real rancher and having played one or something similar in other films, the character fits Jones like a comfortably worn, work glove. His friendship with Estrada, both alive but mostly when the latter is dead, is what drives the film's dramatic and emotional momentum. In something of an "Odyssey" type journey, they and Pepper's character meet an assortment of personalities (including the proverbial blind man, albeit with a twist) on their physical, emotional and yes, even somewhat of a spiritual journey.
True to Arriaga's previous form, however, the story is not straightforward, but instead plays out in a non-linear fashion. Thus, when the film starts, the title character has already experienced burial number one when Jones identifies his friend's body. The story then jumps back and forth through time as all of the characters and plot elements are introduced.
That serves to engage the audience as we try to figure out who's who and what's going on. Thankfully, it's never confusing, and while it may sound like a detective type tale, it isn't for long once the basic premise has been established. But once everything is set in motion, the temporal jumping pretty much stops.
That's a little disappointing considering the introduction and then abandonment of that device (that I happen to like when it's done right). Yet, by the time the transition occurs, Jones the director and actor has us hooked. The film then continues along it course until concluding with a rather unexpected discovery that most won't see coming and that only reinforces the film's poignancy.
Paired with Jones, Pepper holds his own and actually manages to create some sympathy for his mostly unlikable character. Melissa Leo and January Jones are good as the women in their lives, but I wasn't terribly impressed by Dwight Yoakam who embodies the local sheriff in a part now often typified by the usual Jones character (doggedly pursuing another).
Beautifully filmed (courtesy of cinematographer Chris Menges), solidly told and benefiting from strong performances and a steady and assured directorial hand (that belies Jones' relative inexperience behind the camera), "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" is an engaging an old-fashioned road trip flick about commitment and the lack of boundaries when it comes to friendship. The film rates as a 6.5 out of 10.
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