What makes a good film or piece of literature? There are many parts and elements of a movie that we can analyze to help us better understand what the message of the film is and what we should be taking away from it. In Brokeback Mountain the director, Ang Lee, took a chance on making this film regardless of all the hate and negative reviews he knew he would receive. It's a story worth being told and a few elements really bring this movie to life. The setting, plot, and character development really made this film stand out especially since for many directors it's not an easy subject to talk about much less make a movie about.
Brokeback Mountain takes place in the summer of 1963 in the plains of Wyoming. It's a very rural and peaceful area with not many people or work to find. In a way, the setting adds to the romance and intimacy between two cowboys named Jack Twist and Ennis Mar. On the other hand, throughout the movie we watch as the distance between them become greater and therefore creating problems in their secret relationship. Another important thing about the setting is the time period in which it takes place. In 1960s, there were no gay rights or even people who expressed it openly and were accepted by society. Much less in the country where being gay was the opposite of being a man. Gay's living in country areas, were looked down upon even more so because you're supposed fit the part of being a hard working cowboy supporting your wife and kids.
The plot of this story is a very crucial part of the film because it takes you along a 20 year period of Jack and Ennis's on off relationship. The story starts off with the introduction phase but very soon after, it's not hard notice the chemistry unfolding between both these main characters. Soon after their work watching over sheep ends, Jack and Ennis go separate ways and for at least two years they didn't speak at all. Once they started writing letters back and forth to one another is when the story felt like it began again.