The face he gives after he says “it’ll just be another coin” is the only moment in the film that he seems slightly human/relatable. I love he chose to do that
I think it's significant that Chigurh got massively injured right after Carla Jean refused to play his game. She might have died, but from Chigurh's perspective she actually won, she pierced his delusions of morality. And once a character FINALLY stops playing his game, his aura of invincibility is shattered, and he is massively injured in the most random way possible
I really agree with this point of view. You could also say that the time of their interactions would have played out differently and the one she chose was led to those cars being at the same intersection.
could even be seen as some sort of karma. As long as he stuck to his own code of ethics he would be fine. But he broke his code of ethics with carla jean when he killed her anyways and that's why he was in such a random accident. He decided not to follow chance for once and it cost him.
because the Universe is cruel an indifferent something humans are not inherently, so seeing someone embody those traits is made all the more terrifying by knowing its conscious calculated choice. Something Carla Jean confronts Anton on at the end of the movie. "The coin don't have no say." "It's just you."
@@Kermit_T_Frog 'Psychopathy' is literally a pathology of the mind. Only a broken mind can become Chigurh, and only a frail mind can be broken. Psychopathy seems evidence *for* human frailty, not evidence against.
"No...I aint gonna call it. The coin dont have no say. It's just you." I love how the most fragile character in the movie calls out the hypocrisy and emptiness of what in the end is just a hollow bully with a gun.
I love how Javier's persistent issue with the role is the hair. Yes, it was a dreadful style, but MAN, did it ever help establish him as 'outside societal norms'
I always felt like he was trying to blend in with that style but his personality ruins it. He’s technically out of touch with the times being that this is 1980-2 and that style is 1974-7
One of the scariest scenes in the movie for me, is when Anton asks the Accountant, "That depends... Do you see me?" With that slightest hint of a smile. It's the smile that gives me chills in that moment. Cause you don't know if he means "you never saw me, I was never here" or "if you are standing here, seeing me do this, you already know the answer"
I always felt like the guy got spared just for replying that he was 'nobody' A language Anton speaks. We will never know what he replied to the "can you see me" sadly
Yeah it always stuck in my head if I'm the accountant I don't even know what I'm about to answer to an insane person. It is very inevitable even for a smartes person to answer when you face with death.
I had this weird theory that Carla Jean never called the coin because she is absolutely right. Chigurh killed her out of annoyance which was evident with her questioning. The car hitting him was just karma for him not sticking to his code. I dont know I could just be spitballing but overall, this is an amazing movie!
Idk about all that dude he says a lot of pretty threatening stuff. In fact the part where the tone of the scene changes for the clerk is when he says "you've been putting it up your whole life"
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I think him sparing the boys is also an acknowledgement of him losing control of the situation. He would not have been able to kill them right away, they could have stopped him from running even. In a way, sparing them could be interpreted at him tossing the coin on himself. Heads, they describe him to a sketch artist, tails, they don't abandon their sense of honor and keep quiet.
If I remember right, in the book one of the boy's goes to the police after the news of a murder where the suspect is thought to have fled the scene of a car crash goes public. The police go to the other boy but he refuses to talk. Nothing really comes of it.
I think you're far overthinking it. He pays the boys because that's part of his code. You pay for the goods or services others give you. And he has no reason to kill them, so he doesn't.
The interaction with Carla Jean messes with Anton Chigurh - you can tell he's used to people calling it. She refuses, making him have to deal with the fact that it really is his choice, and that he's coercing, not giving choice. We know that it unsettles him because the usually steadfast Chigurh is lost in thought and not paying attention - causing him to get hit by a car. It's random and unplanned as well, but I don't doubt Carla Jean's choice to unveil Anton Chigurh fraudulent moral code played some part.
@Creatotron I don't think his take is a bad take at all. It is an interesting perspective on that interaction and I think being able to interpret that scene different ways makes it all the better. So don't go calling something a bad take because it differs from you. A bad take would be if he was viewing that scene in a way which makes no sense like "Maybe a meteor fell from the sky and killed her and that is why Anton checked his shoes." Also when you are driving and are distracted you can take a green light at an intersection without noticing an obvious out of control car heading your way. So the green light can also be interpreted that way and showing he was mentally distracted without making it as obvious as him running a red light.
@Creatotron I disagree that Carla Jean misread him. She knew he was crazy the minute he walked through the door and she knew what was in store for her. Anton does exert control by offering to toss the coin. Like you said, sometimes he just kills outright. Carla unnerved him by by telling him the coin has no say and refusing to play the game. As for the crash at the end, even the ultimate badass is susceptible to happenstance of everyday life. Gonna read the book.
To me, he sees killing either as a necessity (they saw me do something and could point me out/they're in the way of completing my objective - they need to go) or as something that would be good but isn't necessary. (It would be good to kill every single person who sees him anywhere to leave no witnesses of anything, but it's not necessary.) So he can utilise either the coin toss (leave it to chance instead of feeling guilt of always killing) or bargaining ("did you see me?") when it's not necessary. The contrast is clear with the men in the office - he instantly shot his target, and then (my take) let the other man go because he bargained, basically threatening him into silence (though it's possible he killed him out of necessity as well. it doesn't actually matter, which makes the open end to the scene interesting.) - and then again with Carla Jean versus the boys: Carla Jean's fate is open-ended to me (but I assume he killed her because he said he would to Llewelyn - and I take it that the coin toss is giving his "not necessary"-victims a chance, rather than enforcing a sacred rule.) because she was not a witness and didn't really have anything to do with his mission or targets to do beyond his problem, whereas the boys could simply be bargained into silence - he wasn't really paying that amount of money for the shirt, which he perhaps didn't even need all that much, but rather for their silence. Also, contemplating the scenes after the end of the movie I would say that him letting the boys go supports him letting the accountant go as well.
The book states that Anton let the accountant live. When he asks "Do you see me?" he says "I will let you live if you pretend you never saw me". The same how he told the boys to tell the cops they didn't see him.
I like to imagine he would have died if he said nothing at all, but by prompting Chigur and minimizing himself as just a faceless nobody among a whole department of nobodies ("accounting"), Chigur was willing to negotiate.
Anton is disgusted by hypocrisy when it concerns denying, or even being merely oblivious, of the role of money as a motivation. It’s his whole thing. He might have regarded the accountant as honest in that respect since an accountant is openly concerned with money.
Creepy thing about the gas station clerk is that he isn't exactly stupid, he may be weirded out in the moment, think what Anton is doing is stupid, but he'll figure out within a few hours that he caught a break. Might tell his wife about it later as a funny aside, and as he looks back towards her, she looks horrified. And then it hits him.
Interesting to think that he may have looked at the newspaper later that week. He would have seen the carnage, and only then would it set in what the coin toss actually was.
You can see during the whole interaction he is put off by antons atmosphere and when it comes time to call it he is visibly uncomfortable and hesitant because he already knows something bad may happen to him
He obviously knew the stakes, that's why he kept asking. He was told the answer with further explanation "Your whole life leads up to this one moment". "Your LIFE". Jesus y'all need to go back to grade school.
I figured out down the way that what I like about this movie the most is the movie has no SOUND TRACK as in no music except for one scene but the mood of the movie is set by the everyday sounds of the living things around and just plain everyday movement of cars etc.
Apparently, Javier didn't even speak much english when he did this role. Obviously he understood the message behind his lines but to be able to give such an incredible performance given the circumstances is awe inspiring.
@@Therythman Hey stupid ass, You can read straight from him that he almost turned the role down because he didn't speak English well, even afterwards stating that he was happy he took the role because, "When I was doing Chigurh, my English became so good that I was dreaming in English. Actors don’t learn because they want to know, we learn because we have to learn."
Chigurh is so much scarier in the movie than in the book. Even though the dialogue is the same and the scene are pretty much a faithful adaptation, Bardem's accent puts the icing of chill on the cake!
Also his killing of the widow is worse in the books. In the movie, she defies calling the coin toss and then the scene cuts away. In the book, he just badgers her until she admits his worldview is correct, calls it, and gets it wrong.
The accent makes it more terrifying because you don’t even know where this man has even come from and what bloody trail he’s left behind him all these years, without no one ever making him pay for his crimes
The book is written very much like a screenplay, so the movie is almost 1:1 adaptation most of the time. There are some small changes. In the book Chigurh's ethnicity is not clear. He has dark features, but big blue eyes, and Lewellyn thinks he looks "exotic". This is one of the few cases where reading the book or watching the movie are both great choices.
Well done, i don't believe Anton killed the accountant. When Anton asked who he was and his reply was "Nobody," "Accounting." I think Chigurgh liked the answer as there were no extra words, and he made himself invisible. The kid was faceless/nameless, and he asked simply if he was going to be shot. No begging, no bargaining. I'm sure he answered No to Antons' question, and he lived.
It's probably the most ambiguous part of the movie. I guess it depends somewhat on how truthful Anton is as a character and if the accountant lying to himself and saying that he didn't see him would violate Anton's personal code. On one hand he does promise to return to kill Carla Jean and does so according to his code, which paints him as at least truthful to his own standards, but then he contradicts himself by allowing her the option of gambling her life. It's very possible going into the situation that Anton promised himself to kill everyone who could suspect him and the question was rhetorical, but it's also possible he would be willing to overlook someone every once in a while despite his code.
@F̡ac͜e͡l̨e̶ss͟ In the world of Cormac McCarthy, perfectly adapted here by the Coens, the accounting (no pun intended)is scrupulous.Anton is loyal to this stateside cabal. The leader of the organization betrayed this loyalty by bringing in the others. You only need "one right tool for the job." The accountant is part of this organization but did not betray Anton's psychotic code of honor. Anton closed books on everyone, but Carla Jean, whose life he offered up to Llewellyn. Her logic and straightforward ness, I feel, allowed Anton to allow luck/fate intercede on her behalf. It didn't.
Chigurch had no chance to kill the two boys. He was physically injured. A bone was sticking out his arm his face was bleeding and had likely been knocked unconscious and he had no weapon. The police were rapidly approaching. The only decision he had was to flee the scene.
I don’t think he wanted to kill the boys. He lives by a moral code. He doesn’t just kill for kill sake. That’s what makes him so compelling and mysterious.
If we assume he killed the accountant to get rid of any witnesses, then we can also assume he would've killed the boys had he been able to. But he was not capable of doing it in that moment, and was pretty much left to their mercy by offering money for their silence, which is something he wouldn't do in any other situation.
@@AveragecollectorchrisI gotta disagree. I think he would kill anyone who got in his way with no remorse. He isn’t adverse to killing those that offend him no matter how innocently or those they love. His code doesn’t recognize any such thing as an innocent or fair game.
Yeah, I agree. The irony is that in his condition those two boys could have taken him down. The contrast that keeps happening to him in this movie is his diabolical nature to the normal decency of of the people he encounters. The boy literally gives him the shirt off his back and initially turn down the $$ money offered (which 1980 money is a fuck lot more than what you get now) for it because he empathizes with a man in need. This is absolutely alien to Anton in all probability before coming to this small Texas town most of his prior work was among the sort of gangsters and narcos that populate the movie. I think these might be the Cohen bros additions to the story, but these boys and the woman he just killed have probably burst his own delusional mind set for the first time.
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Sweetie, there is music in the movie. Remember, when Llewelyn wakes up in Mexico and there's a small band playing for him? Translate the lyrics, sweetie 😘. You'll thank me later.
@marcoballesteros4566 I know but it's ambient music because it's actually being being played in the movie by a band. What I meant is there's no soundtrack just playing over a bunch of shots like most movies do. It makes it feel a lot more real to me. I had no idea the song had a deeper meaning about Llewelyn though.
I love Carla Jean's short interaction with Chigurh, a few short sentences turned her character from "the wife" into the only person in the whole movie who "broke" Chigurh for a bit and saw right through him. She's clearly very smart and emotionally extremely dangerous to him as a character, which gives her a near 0% chance to survive the story
I think an interesting detail no one seems to speak about is how when carla tells him “the coin dont have no say” it looks like in his facial expressions anton seems like he doubts for a split second what hes about to do- she made him question the true meaning of the coin- and he knows deep down its true- until his face changes and he smiles having come up with the reason that the coin got there the same way he did.
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What i loved about Carla is that she was bald enough to talk so freely with Chigurh. Most characters were terrified, but she had the guts to question him on his methods, and this is just amazing writing as in reality no person is the same, she happened to be a ballsy southern girl who says her mind even in the most dire situation.
@@joelbruhn4118 Yep, because Chigurh is really the grim reaper. She's knows her time is up. She's upset that it ended this way. Moss betrayed her totally when he took the money and rejected the quiet life with the woman that loved him. She was the innocent victim of her man's betrayal.
I remember there was a study that a group of psychiatrists studied 400 movies to find the most realistic psychopath. They found Anton Chigurh the most realistic.
Quite unfathomable that they would think this guy is realistic. The guy totally stinks of plot armor. Plot armor doesn't exist. It is painfully clear that the writer is on his side every step of the way.
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay Realistic, as in the actor did an excellent job portraying a true psychopath, in both mannerisms, personality, & characteristics. The plot armor is there, because it's a movie.
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay no, as I the portrayal of a psychopath was realistic, not that the movie was realistic. Notice: psychologists Now why would that be judges on realism of the movie as a whole? A little bit of critical thinking skills could have saved you from thus blunder.
One really important detail that can often be overlooked or forgotten, is that it's Moss's conscience bothering him about the thirsty mexican man asking for water that ultimately compels him to go back to the scene.
@@sder it actually prolonged his life, he was going to be hit anyway. But it happened in a moment where he was somewhat prepared, rather than when it was most unexpected, in his sleep at home perhaps.
@@143jcm It made finding him far easier. Otherwise someone would have to just drive around with a tracker, that seemed to have really limited range. They could have easily missed his place.
I’m %100 certain the two kids at the end weren’t in any danger. They provided him service and didn’t annoy him in any way. He said “you didn’t see me i was already gone” and walked away without pushing the envelope or threatening consequences for talking. The money wasn’t about the shirt, it was hush money and both parties got what they wanted
I agree. The kid didn't negotiate for the shirt. He gave it to him to help and Chigur gave him the money because his code didn't allow him not to. Also, he departed quickly as he was injured and would have been captured, he didn't have the leverage to apply his code then. He was helped, injured, and in jeopardy.
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Yes, the money is hush money. He channels the devil. When the devil is weak in a situation, he operates through gifts rather than threats. The money was also for Chigurrh to avoid the fact that kindness is a free gift he doesnt have to pay for. He works for a demon and sees himself as a victim. It would shatter his reality to feel like he accepted angel work into his life. Incorporating money allows Chigurrh to pretend that universe world runs on sins, and he wanted to dirty the situation by bringing money into it. You saw what happened with the money, right? Instead of the kids walking away, being proud of doing a selfless thing, instead he introduced conflict into their world as the kids started arguing over the money. He bought their silence. The kids could have just done a selfless thing and then told the truth to the police. Instead, they cant say they did a selfless thing, and now they owe him to be liars. Now the police and their community may be mad with them for being liars, all because they gave into temptation. In this scene, like the people in the Garden of Eden, they gave into temptation. Soon, their fathers will ask them what they have done. The kids will lie, and will likely be punished for it, like Adam and Eve were. All of this because the snake (Chigurrh) tempted them.
At that point he was desperate/injured & needed their help to escape the quickly approaching sirens. The only time in the movie he didn't have the upper hand of the situation.
The thing in the gasstation-scene is, that you can feel, that he strive to kill this old man, but let go after the coin toss. One of the best movie scenes ever made.
Chigurh is the grim reaper. The old man is close to his last day, but not on that day. Today is his lucky day, which is true for all old men who live to see another morning. But he has been "putting it up all his life" because it is true that every day we live is partly based on the luck we don't get killed in some stupid random event.
I like the way he says "Well done!" when the old guy at the station wins. He is not frustrated in the slightest. It's so subtle but it seems like the is enthusiastic, as if the guy made a huge play on faith. He is not happy on not having to kill, but simply because in his mind the old guy made a good play on destiny itself.
I think the reason he didnt kill the kids after the crash is more to do with him being shaken up for possibly the first time in his life. He has likely never come that close to death himself in a tangable feelable way,. You can see the confusion in his face and the whole demenor he had through the film dissapears for a few minutes, he becomes relatively sane.
I always felt it was more practical. He was in the middle of a residential street, daylight, sirens incomming, he was also very badly injured and there were two boys on bicycles, meaning at least one was likely to be able to out run him, and the injured arm meant using a weapon or his bare hands would be extremely difficult. A big feature of his motivation was remaining somewhat like a phantom, and the chances of being caught while in the worst possible physical state were too high to delay his escape.
Yea i think it was more of an im injured, i need a sling, these kids think im a pedestrian i’ll give em some cash for the shirt to make a sling and tell them not to mention me type of thing lol
@Mason he's weak AF, ALL of his victims are literally weak, no combat skills, no real "ragdoll a mothaf*cka" strength, no handspeed,no agression in them. They just sit there like scared sheep or run away(SLOW) while he just does whatever he wants to them. Let him try that with Tyson,Rambo,wick, bournE,lee,a navy seal, Mayweather,Judah,mike Jai white,bones Jones,Roy Jones, or bas rutten😒... Get his SHIH caved TF in 🤣💯🧔🏾♂️.
The accident is due to Anton himself becoming accountable when his coin toss is refused. He's no longer shielded by chance. This movie is just incredible.
Excellent analysis. Anton's mystery is a representation of death itself, his philosophy of chance only adds to the terror and him essentially playing with his food with Carson means the coin does not need to flip. It's a brutally dark contrast to Bell's rose tinted view of the old days, something his uncle and the events force him to wake up from in the end.
@@sder ummm about that last scene..... the audience that viewed anton as death itself faded away when he got in the car crash as to remind the audience that he's just a human
@@nicholasmolnar8312 Disrespect to the channel owner here. This was horribly unoriginal and has been done to death many times. The vile eye did it better th-cam.com/video/UnnfoTAs5Ww/w-d-xo.html and wendigoon did one too th-cam.com/video/W5En4vfsq18/w-d-xo.html Earned my dislike
@@Jackrobert28 the piano music in the last segment of the video is by Erik Satie, one of his Gnossienes. I don't recall it being used in the movie soundtrack.
@@timbakke2443 it is unmanly by Chigurh's standards. the way he sees it, one should stand up for himself and owe everything only to himself. compromising on one's nature is out of question. that's why he smirks when Carson tries to bribe him ("...an ATM?"). marrying into a business is essentially a form of accepting a bribe.
Such a beautifully deep film. To me, Antons last scene represents that even a seemingly unstoppable “mediator of death” is not immune to the same chance he enforces. Its an underlying theme throughout the entire picture, it’s what makes it feel so realistic. In a traditional story, the likable protagonist would come out on top and best his evil pursuer. But real life is rarely if ever so cinematic. Llewelyn is killed off screen, there is no dramatic death scene, or epic final battle. Just instant, remorseless death. Which is how it would actually go down. A common, albeit, skilled man, vs a relentless psycho expert hitman. This film is totally immune to cliches or tired old archetypes. It feels as though you are watching a real story, with real characters. As if it weren’t written by a man, but a timeline woven by the hands of fate itself.
I agree with your interpretation, but as for: "Which is how it would actually go down. A common, albeit, skilled man, vs a relentless psycho expert hitman" Llelewyn is actually killed by the Mexicans, not by Chigurh himself.
This movie is not about Llewelyn anyways it’s about the sheriff and his battle with his own pride and being too old for a wild and crazy world. This is why Llewelyn dies off screen, and why the sheriff never meets or catches Anton. It can be interpreted that Anton’s crazy haircut and appearance is only how the sheriff perceived this insane threat he is pursuing and never once gets a description of. This guy misses all of this focusing on chygur the entire video. All this said it’s still a great video but bro missed the whole point of the movie, like 97% of viewers
@@Catalyst512 Thats certainly the most surface level element of the film (it’s literally in the title) but it’s not the only one. This film was adapted from a 320 page novel so it’s going to have various layers of meaning or interpretation.
@@Catalyst512 Bro you're just parroting exactly what Wendigoon said in his video. Get your own interpretation before talking down to people. Can't stand midwits who hear someone else say something then repeat it like its word of God.
I personally think that he did kill Carla Jean even as she didn't call his coin toss and forced his will instead of relying on destiny. It was sin to Anton and as such you can interpret his accident as his destined punishment of transgression. It might also be universe showing that Destiny is not only force that governs it and Random shows up in form of accident. Something out of nowhere is capable of hurting Anton Chigurh. Just because as that is how Random is. Destiny says "because so" and Random says "just because" and that's their difference. There is lots of subconscious "human" in Anton as he clearly shows human reactions and emotions to stimuli. He is obviously sadistic yet doesn't seem to enjoy it.
You'll be overjoyed to know that Carla Jean actually did this in the book. She denies Anton his attempt to absolve himself of responsibility, forcing him to choose
@@callumbreton8930 There is another "human" thing Anton shows. He had promised Moss that he would kill his whole family if he didn't return the money. Money was not returned so he would kill them as well yet he obviously wasn't being paid. Anton could kill very efficiently as scene in office tells, yet he didn't kill Carla Jean like that. He was unsure of himself and needed confirmation from Destiny.
My take: She continued to refuse to call it, so he had to kill her according to his moral code. Her previous statement about the coin having no say, just him, forced him to acknowledge the fact that his "moral code" is B.S. He's shaken up and distracted by that, which caused him to not see the car heading directly for him. The quick shot of the windshield taking up the full field of view I believe is a subtle way of saying he's not fully aware of his surroundings, it shows his lack of awareness to his peripheral vision. If he hadn't been lost in contemplation, he likely would have seen the car coming at him. Additionally, the shot of his windshield also can symbolize his singular focus on his code and how it is flawed and destined to end badly. His inability (or refusal) to see any other way means he was bound to get blindsided eventually.
There's a grim detail in the film. When walking out of the house after meeting Carla, he looks at the soles of his shoes to see if they're bloody and would leave any footprints.
I think this kinda hints back to his conversation with Carson too, when he's talking about the rule he followed. Anton probably killed her, breaking his own "rule", and thus it led him to dwelling on it, causing his accident.
I remember a character from a novel coming to realization that the most self-evident and mundane sayings that we take for granted are often the most profound. Anton ran into this with Carla Jean. He really doesn't have to do it, but he always saw that phrase as a disgusting plea for mercy without understanding that he's holding all the cards, and he's choosing how to play them. Blind chance didn't kill those innocent people, he did. You can see how uncomfortable he gets when she makes him see it. Probably the best movie ever put to film.
My take: Carla Jean emphazises the individualization of the murderer, thus removing the mythological/quasi "angel of death" mindset of Chigurh. For human beings to be moral one has to bear the burden of choice, the antagonist is terrifying because he renounces his humanity, renounces choise, but cannot escape it completely as the victims reinforces that he is indeed not what he views himself to be. Carla Jean in this sense represents the movies most well spoken voice of reason, to us as an audience in face of the horror of the antagonist. And he cannot handle that.
He handles it just fine, what? How does he not handle it? Him killing her is what he planned to do the whole time. He didn't get upset and kill her in rage. You're inserting and then projecting, I think
@@NoConsequenc3 not only he handles it fine, he's not even surprised by her stance ("people always say this - you don't have to do this"). her behavior is heroic - she chooses death over humiliation, at the cost of giving up on a 50% chance to save her life - but Chigurh had already made it clear that he judges principles by their outcome ("if the rule you followed brought you to this - of what use was the rule?"). so he's neither surprised nor impressed by her decision. i understand why people prefer to take this view though (as evidenced by upvotes, for a start :)), but i don't think what we see in the movie validates it at all; it blatantly contradicts it.
One of my favorite moments of the film is when Lewellen thinks Wells says Sugar instead of Chigurh. The look on his face says it all. He can't believe such a ruthless killer would call himself that. Its details like that make this film so memorable.
My favorite part of the coin toss scene has to be when Anton says “Which it is”. It’s a breath of fresh air for the scene and a gap in the mysticism of Chigurh’s actions. He knows it’s just a coin and he knows he’s just a man just doing his job. He lets the clerk see that and leaves without saying another word. He wants the clerk and in a truer sense the audience to know that Chigurh is not some unkillable gun toting monster but rather an efficient merciless psychopath. It plays heavily on one of the many themes of the film which is the unpredictability of life itself and how just a regular coin and a chance meetup can decide your fate.
Anton is one of the most fascinating villains in cinema. I always enjoy videos analyzing his character. You definitely earned my sub. This channel has the potential to get big.
"Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn." This quote really fits for Anton
@@friedgreenaliernwomerns2600 he’s saying the quote fits the character R-tard. Did he at any point say “oh that was a great quote in the film!” No he didn’t.
It doesn't though. That quote refers to madness, anarchy, a lack of a plan. Anton is relaxed, collected and plans everything he does. Even with the coin toss scene, he may not have known if it would be heads or tails, but he knew that the clerk's life was in Anton's hands at that moment, regardless of the result of the flip.
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I wouldn't say the store clerk is unwittingly playing the coin game. Gradually through the scene he goes from confusion to a sense of dread even before the coin toss. But once he accepts his fate and calls heads, fate spares him and the audience and him feel a sense of relief as Chigur goes from foreboding to chipper in an instant.
The bit with the boys is interesting , he would not take the shirt for nothing because that would put him at odds with his code , meaning he wouldn't have earned it , he would be like the gas station clerk who married into a position , and as such would be subject to his own coin toss.
I feel you are reading to deep into this. He obviously wouldn't have given that much thought in the situation. He understood that he was taking a risk when he just decided to leave. But it was the first time in the film that he was letting his moral-necessity code subside and let things go to fate (he would never know if the kids will rat out or not) mostly because it was fate that fucked him up in the first place. The same fate that he was harnessing in a way. Carla Jean broke that notion that there is no fate or higher power involved in his actions. He's just a deranged lunatic with a shotgun and some skills. This along with the unfateful accident made him realise that there is no code or rule. And he is just as vulnerable as all of his victims
@@insert-name101 You do realize psychopaths give lots of thought on many topics....my assumptions are based on all the events leading up to that moment , so i call it as i see it.....to say im reading to deep into it could also be flipped on your comment. 1. at no point does it seem he is becoming less of a psychopath. 2.It's a fictional movie you are watching Javier Bardem essentially doing his job.
@@Kronikalrag3 psychopaths have a code that they follow, but its a code to make them feel good, not a godly entity that they feel they must fight for. They probably consider their code important bur they probably consider their lives even more important.
@@insert-name101 killing the kids and leaving the scene badly injured, not even having a car to drive anymore, would actually put him at more risk than sparing them (like, where or how would he hide the bodies, having a broken hand at that? at least Carla's body won't be found for a while). so it's the logical choice, even accounting for the risk that they give his description to the authorities.
I agree. The Devil is all about being proud to have "earned the right to be evil." The Devil likes to focus on people owing it. It doesnt like that Jesus' gifts are free. That would betray its worldview of debt and retribution. Money is the mark of the beast. Money and pride is the root of all evil. It sure is for Moss and Anton in this story! You see how Anton sparked conflict in the boys with the money, and made them liars. If they lie to police and their community, they are liars. If they tell the truth, well then they become liars because they agreed to Anton about staying quiet. Anton corrupted them. They cant say they did a selfless gesture. They can't say they helped stop a brutal serial killer. They are now dirtied by this instance of chance and money. As before, so in the end. In the beginning, the man with the money died in the shade, and so did Moss later on. In the beginning there was a lot of death on both sides, and so there was too at end of the Moss saga. In the beginning, there is one man injured, begging the innocent for help. In the end, there was one man innocent begging for help. In both the beginning and the end, the innocent are corrupted by money, and the cruel chance lives on.
The most off-putting thing about Chigurh is that he doesn't act like any human. He almost acts like a demon or a human who worships a cosmic horror or something. The reason why he works so well for the movie is because he isn't supposed to make sense to us. His rules aren't supposed to resonate. They are supposed to exist, but only make sense to Chigurh alone. In that way he mirrors the new generations. Thus the title of the movie makes sense. Chigurh represents younger generations with different rules that make no sense to the older generations. They seem to only destroy, never build or nurture. We never know him long enough to see if he ever changes like new generations do.
@@pleasegoawaydude Everyone says that until the older generations start dying off. Then they realize that nobody is running the asylum. All of the supposed bad being done would be done by the younger generations as well. The younger generations come up with rules that they think will fix things, but they are just as destructive and misguided as the older generations were.
Anton Chigurh represented one of the 3 major existing moralities in the universe according to this movie. Most of the movie’s characters, including Llewelyn Moss, represent The Rule of Man. This rule dictates that instinct and human nature guides us in order to forge our own life and existence. Many of the characters follow this rule by serving themselves via the promise of profit. The second main one is The Rule of The Self. This rule dictates that the old world was preferable to the new one, and that one should try to regain that old world. However, this rule contradicts itself, as the world has always been unforgiving, it doesn’t pamper to people, and that it’s vain to try and make a world that does. The third main ideology is The Rule of The World. This rule is the one Anton Chigurh follows. This rule dictates that the only true rule is that of chance, of a random list of factors that result in life or death. For Anton, this rule is represented by the coin toss. The rule of the world chooses who lives or dies, not him. He’s simply a instrument of the universe’s will, which to him, is the only true honorable life one can live.
It is a horror in the sense that the overarching message is one of complete helplessness. The evil is inevitable. That's what the sheriff says, more or less.
I've watched this movie only once, but I had seen many notable scenes before watching the movie (Texaco, ofc). As soon as the movie was finished, my wife asked me what I thought, and I told her, "I don't understand anything that just happened, but this was a 10/10 classic in my eyes." This is the exact type of movie I think of when I think of "cinema." Nothing was given to me, and it's made so much better for it. I need to watch it again. It struck me every time you talked about music or lack thereof because one of my favorite aspects of this movie was its almost complete lack of soundtrack. It's a creative decision that makes the entire movie feel tense. There is no release. It's just varying levels of tension for like two hours
I think the most interesting part was his reaction to having his insanity summed up by Lewelynn’s wife. “The coin doesn’t decide, you do.” As in, he’s pretending that he’s not responsible for his actions. He acts like he himself is the weapon, not the one holding it. He thinks he’s the gun, not the hand.
I have described Anton Chigur as “the guy in your nightmares who’s following you; you’re terrified of him, ave even though he’s moving very slowly you can’t get away because it’s like you’re stuck in molasses”. I thought everyone has had this dream, that it’s an archetypal nightmare. It’s surprising to me that nobody I’ve described him to in this way has recognized ever having had the same type of dream. To me, however, this is exactly who Anton Chigur is. And why he is so terrifying.
I know just what you mean! That’s exactly why he was so terrifying to me when I watched for the first time. Inexorable doom+clumsy panicked escape attempt
I know exactly what you mean. When I was a kid I had terrible nightmares and it always felt like I was running through waist-deep water and no one would ever believe me when I tried to warn them of the danger.
I like your final point, that a story like this persists because it doesn't pander. We are in such a deep pile of junk right now because of a false perception of backlash, and it has paralyzed studios into making nothing worth watching.
Honestly, I haven't seena real notable worth watching movie come out in the cinemas within the last 10 years or so. With the exception of the Marvel movies, which were basically all pretty great. Nothing new though, and nothing original. No mystery films, no actually good Sci fi films, no good westerns, or action movies, no good adventure films. The only most RECENT good movies within the past 10-15 years were I think John Wick, Wolf of Wall Street, Interstellar, The Martian, Get Out, and Grand Budpest hotel. Oh the 007 ones as well.
Pandering movies were already rampant in the 2000s, we only now remember what stands the test of time and the same conversation will be had 10 years from now, stop being boomers
I read the boys a different way, I think it's the time we see Anton as he really is, he's a desperate scared criminal. And despite his cultivation of a metaphysical weight, he can't consider that anyone might do him a kindness for the sake of it (he presumes, even demands, that the boys be drawn into a trade, rather than help him out of charity.)
@ J. Murphy bc he's seriously f*cked up in the head. Eventually ppl like him meet that 1 motherf*cker who shuts his SHIH down...in his case, he'll be mercilessly done in by someone he has ZERO chance against. *"Every dog has his day."*
Great observation. I feel that too. Throughout the film, it was mentioned that chigurh is this relentless monster that cannot be negotiated with. He's the carrier of death who believes with his own crooked moral code and he turns to fate whenever the code isn't sufficient enough to take the person's life (as in when it's not exactly necessary for him to kill ((as Carla Jean & the gas store owner where the two most harmless and vulnerable PPL in the film)) but he wants to. Thus either choice is justified) Thus even looked down by the sheriff as this new kind of evil he doesn't want to deal with, because he doesn't understand it and thus he cannot deal with. But all that is slowly ripped off. How such crimes existed even back in the day. How Carla Jean showed Anton who he actually was. How fate overtook and screwed everyone in the film, including chigurh. The more i read into the film, the better it gets. I didn't like this film at all in the first viewing. But now it's something entirely different
I've watched a lot of these reviews of No Country, because it's a great film. And one thing I've noticed is how no one ever talks about the lady in the trailer park office, the one who tells Chigurh to pound sand when he demands information about Moss. I used to wonder why she never comes up, and then I realized that the reviewers, like me and like Chigurh himself, are scared of her. That woman is the baddest MF in the movie
That SCENE AINT ALLOWED TO give NO INFORMATION ON ANY OF ITS RESIDENTS. Sir, are you deaf? *Toilet flush* She's a doul-dimensional entity. She files nails and chills, yet is in another room poopin and flushing at the same time. The smell alone had Anton shook. He didnt have enough Chigurrh sugar to satisfy her honey buns, and everyone in that scene knew it. It's embarrassing for both Anton and the viewers, who relate to being rejected so acutely by fine women such as herself.
Javier Bardem is a fantastic actor, I don't think Anton would have been as terrifying if it weren't for his performance! His voice, his demeanor, everything is spot on!
I think something that adds slightly more depth to Chigurh's ("Sugar??") complexity is the dichotomy of what he views himself as and what he ultimately shows himself to be. As you mentioned, Soder, Anton definitely comes across as a messenger or negotiator of death; a vessel of chance and fate. The coin toss scene embodies this perfectly; however, there's one moment within that scene that's always fascinated me and forced me to look at his character differently (in conjunction with a later scene). Chigurh urges the gas station owner to not mix up the coin, lest it become just another one amongst many. But he closes with the line "which it is". Anton has spent this entire scene talking about fate and chance, how the coin's path and the station owner's path have all lead to this one life-changing moment, and then an instant later seemingly tears that whole concept down by simply acknowledging there's nothing special about this, it's just a coin. It's as if fate really had nothing to do with this, but Anton wants the station owner (and maybe himself?) to believe it did. I believe Carla Jean's final moments link back to this scene very interestingly. When she defiantly tells Anton that the coin has no say or power, but that he ultimately does, I think it's the first time that someone has forced Anton to confront his own moral code and beliefs. It seems he truly believes or wants to believe that he is some messenger or other-worldly middleman for chance, while in actuality he may use that to mask his psychopathic tendencies. Or it's as if presenting people with the illusion of chance gives him more power over people. And correct me if I'm wrong, but later in the movie isn't there a news report in the background that mentions a gas station owner being found dead in the shop? I'm assuming Anton went back and killed him, which makes the whole coin ordeal even more jarring. Anton is truly one of the most subtly complex and intriguing villains to grace our screens.
I disagree with one part: "while in actuality he may use that to mask his psychopathic tendencies. Or it's as if presenting people with the illusion of chance gives him more power over people." Chigurh is a psychopath. Pretty much every common conceptions, common sense or logic would likely not apply to him. He sees the world completely differently from others people, and struggle to apprehend that fact. The world is ruled by a (complex?) set of laws, and no one, not even him is above said laws. Theses laws are not human laws, but rules he figured himself and that he deems necessary for the world to stay in order; to not descend into chaos. We can only assume what those rules of his are. One would be the importance of one's words, and the moral obligation to stay true to them. But above theses rules, he also recognize the existence of a superior entity. He thinks of it as fate, and it is his way of explaining why things don't always go as they should. When he toss the coin and ask his interlocutor to pick one, he does not do it to remove any responsibility from himself. He has no remorse, he only try to make the world a better place. By tossing the coin, he sets up an appointment between his victim, and their fate. According to his rules, they must die. Fate is the only entity left who holds the power to spare their life. Why some people get to have a coin toss while many others don't is unknown. But I view Chigurh's character as a very resilient, logical (by his own point of view) and emotionless individual. He does not try to hide his psychopathy, because this is simply how the world work (most people simply can't seem to realize it). He is a part of this world, just like his victims were and he does not hold any power over anyone. He knows very well his own fate will catch him someday. Until then he will continue to help the world go round.
@@TeteBruleeFR That's certainly possible. I think it can both be true that Anton truly believes he's an emissary of fate and consciously (or subconsciously) knows that presenting people with "the choice" gives him an immense amount of power and control in those situations. I agree that he's largely a very emotionless human being; however, he's still a psychopath, and psychopaths do take some satisfaction out of what they do. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to assume that Anton (on some level) enjoys what he does. The way he toys with his victims or would-be victims during or after the coin toss/fate's choice I think shows that very human side of him.
@@gamechip06 No. I was quoting Llewyn from the movie. When Carson is telling Llewyn about Anton and references him as Chigurh, Llewyn responds by saying "Sugar??" Why do you think I used quotation marks? Haven't you seen the film?
Bardem is a very talented actor. After seeing some of his other screen performances I became a fan. I'm sure he's known by more people in Europe, Spain especially.
I think the scene where the boy give him his shirt is better interpreted as Chiguhr admitting his limits. The boy said he'd give him his shirt and began doing so before Anton pulled out any money, and Anton hands the kid the 100 right as he says "you didn't see me, I was already gone" as he looks for other potential witnesses. He doesn't waste time toying with them, asking "do you see me?" rather, takes a more reasonable approach because he realizes he couldn't possibly just kill these two kids, injured and seemingly unarmed, and get away with the cops already on their way. Rather, he pays them off and tells them to lie like some common thug might do. Though Chiguhr is a monster who revels in enforcing his twisted moral code, he's also a ruthlessly efficient hitman. I think Chiguhr chose to be a hitman the same way a predator might choose to be a school teacher; it's the job that gives them the best chance to carry out their sick tendencies. The cartel didn't know or care how twisted Anton was so long as he did his job. Anton takes his job very seriously, yet he is content letting the shop keep and Carla Jean live if they call a coin, showing that his own code is more important to him than his job's requirement of remaining unseen.
Great review of the movie. One thing I'd like to reveal about the novel is that Chigurgh's motivation/mission Is revealed- he takes the money to the Matacumbe Petroleum Company, where a big head (assumed to be the CEO) has an office. This man was the original investor, but Chigurh should have had No way of figuring that out. When he shows up in a suit with the money, the man is like '.....What the fuck are you doing here?' And Chigurgh basically explains that all of the other men he had hired were incompetent, and that if he hired Chigurh, they would hire different people, who actually know what they're doing. Chigurh basically fired these men in a sense. Also, he was Much crueller to Carla Jean in the novel. He convinced her Moss demanded Chigurh kill his wife, convinced her to betray her faith and call the toss, and then he shot her. He is an absolute monster.
I watched this movie when it came out and few days after I had a nightmare where this character was chasing me non stop, it was one of the most terrifying nightmares I've had.
I always figured Anton's "do you see me" line to the accountant was him basically saying "As long as you acknowledge that I am not nor ever was here...then you will continue to enjoy your stay on this earth"(his *you didn't see me* line being a callback to this 18:07). It also adds to his rather sporadic nature making him more unpredictable and difficult to read. I don't think he killed him.
Me neither, most people seem to do so actually and apperantly in the book he lives too. The whole thing with "do/did you see me" also isnt new, its been done in a lot of media and meant to be taken "literally" there. I do understand how someone could see the question as being rhetorical though since Anton is so cold blooded.
I've always thought of Chigurh as chaos incarnate. His actions are violent but the universe often is. The coin represents a possibility, but he talks about the journey that the coin has taken as if it had a part in this. As if anyone else that handled that coin played a part in the result. He can always find a way to justify what he's doing but a lot of the people that he puts in danger are only in that danger because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's just a controlled path of destruction decided entirely by a fate that none of the people involved chose to be a part of.
Great video, he is one of the scariest villains for sure. He's so effective too because he has no remorse and seems to have virtually no fear, only some instict for self preservation. These things automatically give him the upper hand when engaged with somone else like in a gun fight when the other guy is shitting his pants
The sad part about Carlas situation was he went from her having no chance to live to a 50% chance, which was somewhat kind of him to do considering he already decided he was going to kill her. The kids however went over to him, they werent in his way at any point in time, they crossed paths with him, he didnt cross paths with them. In a sense the kids were completely innocent.
The kids were symbolic of innocent Moss when he stumbled upon the unholy crime scene. They were corrupted by the money. Now had to be liars lest Anton call them liars for talking when Anton told them to be quiet to people. They didnt ask for the money but it came to them and started conflict in their lives. Theres even an injured man asking for help at the initial drug deal "accident". Money is the mark of the beast. Money and pride are the root of all evil. Guess what Anton had a lot of? Both! Moss did too at the end. At the beginning he didn't. The kids had both money and pride at the end too.
The amount of quality put into this for a channel with 453 subscribers is insane you earned a sub and my respect in which you probably don’t care about
The part where Carla Jean says, "You have no cause to kill me," is chilling. Anton tells her that he does have a reason to kill her. He had told Llewelyn that he would kill her, so he was obliged to do it. He had to kill her to hurt someone who was already dead. I doubt someone like Anton would believe in any sort of afterlife, so it's not even like he thinks Llewelyn will ever know that his irresponsible actions got his wife killed.
I thought the accountant lived. I always took “do you see me” to mean that he was giving the accountant the chance to live if he promised he didn’t see anything.
He liked the accountant before he started acting scared and trying to put the agency of his death into Anton's hands. Anton doesnt like feeling accountable, and he doesnt like people who beg. So, he showed the man that it "wasn't Anton's fault" Anton had to shoot him. Anton likes having excuses to corrupt or hurt people. If the accountant had shown he was corrupt by closing his eyes earlier and noting that he didn't see anything, he might have gotten away. Anton loves when people shamelessly deal with the devil in a certain way. Anton deals with the devil in a certain way too.
What you said towards the end of the video really resonated with me; that movies not built upon pandering stand the test of time. It also made me acutely aware that I can't recall any "large" or "blockbuster" movies from around 2010 onwards which have retained their initial effect or charm, simply because their goal is to create profit, not tell good stories. Thanks for making this video.
Good stuff, well done. I feel like he’s the type of believable but horrifying villain that would fit right in to the Breaking Bad universe, among the scariest and most believable and well written villains ever written. I felt so much stress and tension watching this movie each time. Total classic and highly under appreciated film IMO.
@@tomkemball-cook1923 I’ve never heard the term “neo-western” but it’s appropriate, I definitely highly enjoy the little bit of the genre I’ve been exposed to. Seems like almost anything that could be described as a “neo-western” has a seriously high standard of quality, possibly a bias but I can’t think of anything similar I wouldn’t consider A+ tier work
After seeing the first coin toss with the gas station shop owner, I saw that as the movie showing us that he’s a man of his word. When he goes and kills the guy in front of the accountant, asking him if he saw him there WAS the coin toss and I like to believe that the accountant said no and was spared. This is kind of backing up my theory that he doesn’t care about witnesses or leaving a trail. It’s reinforced more when he doesn’t have the time after the car accident to negotiate with the boys. He made the decision for them so he can get on his way quickly
I like the small moments of regular human compassion in this film that remind you people aren’t fundamentally bad. People are generally (initially at least) kind to this character we the audience know to be on a murderous rampage.
@@Razumen Important to remember we're a social species. We would not have survived and thrived like we have if we were generally antisocial and violent as a species.
I was an EMT years ago and once in a great while we would see someone who's death was clearly imminent and yet by some huge stroke of luck (or divine intervention) they would somehow manage to survive. The coin tosses always made me think of that.
Any time I think of a perfected and completely diabolical psychopath I instantly think of Anton Chigur. He absolutely nailed it. And No Country for Old Men is one of my favorite movies of all time.
I love how the brothers masterfully trick you into the idea that Moss is going to some how win in the end because he's "the good guy"..... However, the storyline is really more about Chigurh, HE is the one who will win, and they give you that obvious answer in the very first few shots in the movie. Typically, the first main character you are shown in the movie tends to be THE main character of that story, as well as the "winner" of whatever battle is taking place. While it's Tommy Lee Jones you HEAR first, Anton is the first character you SEE. Moss is killed. The Sheriff retired. Anton escaped and exacted his judgements and payback on everyone who violated his twisted morals. He won.
One of the scenes that left an impression on me was the short scene of Anton driving and he spots a crow, slows and proceeds to take a shot at it. I felt like this was indicative of a being that wanted to destroy all of "Gods" creation. The devil.
Astute! He seems to want to look at symbols of death and intelligence and prove reign. He's shown instead that he too misses, and there are greater forces at play than his own will, no matter how hard he tries to reign supreme. So, yes, the devil. Birds can fly away. He can't escape his place so easily and envies the free.
I like to think that in the coin toss scene with the clerk, the line "which it is" in the end tells the clerk not to make anything more of the situation, in an almost subtly threatening, sarcastic way, as if not to push his luck. This conveys that he should be grateful for his opportunity to live, given to him completely by chance - that the coin was only something small, the smallest chance that saved him - as he doesn't realise how lucky he really was. It is just a subtle reminder of the great risk and danger he was in, enhancing the gravity of this scene even further. Telling the viewer not to forget about this danger.
Absolutely stellar explanation. The pace of the video was great and easy to follow, and the breakdown of the scenes and editing made it very digestible. Offering new information as well as foreshadowing amplifies the intensity and meaning of these terrifying scenes. Also, your take on these being "negotiations" really helped me understand the mental state of Anton, and the nature of the interactions. I believe you have a wide array of movies to choose from going forward, and I cant wait to see more if you decide to make more analysis videos like this. Videos like this are what will make your sub count explode. Nice work.
@@sder If I may recommend one, how about the movie called "The House that Jack Built"? It is certainly less concrete, but that might allow for some interesting speculation or analysis. I think that this is a movie where many people would be looking for more answers once the film ends. There are some similarly terrifying aspects that seem to grip people, and I for one would love to see what you would do with this as a topic. Best of luck!
It's amazing that two of my favorite films with completely original bad guys but complicated lovable good guys came out in the same year by the same studio......In Bruges and No Country for Old Men(chefs kiss)!
One small thing nobody ever points out about the shot at 11:02 is the fact he aims high and to the right to avoid missing the accountant who is sitting low and to the left. The evidence of this is the fact that he seems to have only hit the side of the dead man's neck. Anton Chigurh fired a scattergun right over the head of another person and didn't so much as graze him with a single piece of shot. Knowing Anton, this was certainly deliberate.
Nice commentary. I think you could do a decent analysis of the character Frank from the film Blue Velvet. He in a lot of ways represents this hidden evil that could be lurking in small town middle America.
The coin bullshit is just Anton trying to justify in his head some of his killing. 'oh I'm not such a sociopath, it's the coin, it's chance, it's fate'. Carla Jean is the only one to see though his mental gymnastics. He is still a human after all, so needs to create distance in his head so he isn't overwhelmed by all the evil he does.
The most underrated scene is the one he had with the housing attendent. By her own "ignorance" she didn't take any shit from him and I felt he respected that.
I think it was also because someone else was there when the toilet was flushed, so he figured it was unnecessary to kill her as well as anyone else there.
@@1dingerr i don't think he'd care about killing one more person. he's already killing people left and right. i think Dennis (in the parent comment) is correct - Chigurh respected her for sticking to her code. he lives and breathes by his rules, and here she clearly had a rule that she wouldn't break. also - unlike the gas station attendant - she didn't show any signs of intimidation or evasion.
He did such a good job with this role. I wonder how many people have honestly felt fear when they meet him. As much as I know damn well its a movie, and he is an actor, I would still feel uneasy initially if I met him in real life. There would be an unavoidable twinge of primal fear, as if I was being put in a cage with a lion or alligator. I cannot think of anyone else I can say that about.
I think the only reason Chigurh spares the kids is for practical reasons: 1) he's badly injured so he might not be able to do quick shots on both targets, 2) he's in what looks like a small suburban area where it's likely more people will be alerted if they hear shots/cries for help, 3) sirens can already be heard so he needs to get away as fast as he can. Avery good movie and excellent portrayal by Bardem, and also a very good video analysis.
Really enjoyed this. If there's one thing I feel I've learned in my half century of living though, it's that death doesn't parlay. Churguh does like to roleplay the middleman or negotiator, but it seems this only ever occurs when it entirely suits him. I didn't feel it was certain that the shopkeeper's fate entirely rested on the coin toss. Rather, that any further interaction would probably get him killed regardless of it. We're all hoping he'll just keep his mouth shut until the bugger leaves. Churguh seems to get off on letting go when the opportunity presents itself, like a cat releasing an injured mouse. The question to the accountant is entirely rhetorical, there is no other logical answer, he has made certain of that.
Excellent video. No Country is one of those movies that I can't help but revisit every so often. Bardem's Chigurh is incredible, but my favorite part of this film has always been Tommy Lee's role as the aging law man, struggling to make sense of all the darkness he's had to bear witness to.
Spot on. Thank you. And the bit about "pandering" - yes. None of the films generally accepted as "great" do it. They're made as art, and the audience may take or leave them, as they also are usually under no mandate to make two billion dollars.
The coen brothers are so clever, i can watch wvery movie they have made several times over and enjoy it and catch something new nearly every time. Fabulous cinema and great video dissecting a masterpiece. New fan made with this video essay
The beauty of his character is you can never tell if he’s being serious or not. It’s logical questions with astronomical consequences. Even now you can’t really tell which way he leaned.
I always interpreted "I got here the same way the coin did" as Anton referring to the duties he carries out being some kind of higher calling. The coin got there not through its will but because it was picked up and carried to that point. Anton got there because moral and philosophical reasons put him in that position. While his morality and philosophy are of his own creation, he sees it as an immutable truth that he doesn't get to decide or influence. From his perspective, he is both just and merciful: following a completely moral life strictly, and showing mercy where he can by offering his potential victims the choice of random chance. The rest of the world just doesn't see things the way Anton does, and it's just a matter of perspective as to who is insane
One of the things that I find so tense about the gas station scene is how vague and accessible the dialogue was, it felt very natural and so the tension felt genuine. Many of us have had the moment, walking home in the dark and a person calls out "Hey, come here I wanna talk to you" or something to that effect. You feel that dread in your belly and your brain bounces back and forth between "is that person gonna hurt me" and "Im just being silly that would never happen to me". Most of the time we settle on the latter and most of the time it's true. You can almost see the conflict in the workers head of "is he implying that I'm in danger" and "no that's ridiculous he is just a weird guy", but we as the audience are the one that knows the true danger they are in. It makes you think back to all those tense moments on dark walks home, all of the possible dangers you just brushed away as "silly thoughts". It would have totally ruined it if he was like "call it or you die" or some dramatic Hollywood rubbish, It would have immediately reminded you that it's a movie and would have renforced that REAL danger always announces itself. But this scene as is really gets under your skin because you never really know.
The face he gives after he says “it’ll just be another coin” is the only moment in the film that he seems slightly human/relatable. I love he chose to do that
I almost like that part more than the coin toss sequence itself
I think the line immediately after is so funny "which it is" like he just had to add that last little line at the end and his look is so funny too
No the music does not build tension. There was no music.
@@jamessullivan4391 there's a low score that starts at some point in the scene. Its mixed very quietly.
That look is a tiny bit of the Coen's sense of humor
I think it's significant that Chigurh got massively injured right after Carla Jean refused to play his game. She might have died, but from Chigurh's perspective she actually won, she pierced his delusions of morality. And once a character FINALLY stops playing his game, his aura of invincibility is shattered, and he is massively injured in the most random way possible
I really agree with this point of view. You could also say that the time of their interactions would have played out differently and the one she chose was led to those cars being at the same intersection.
Good observation!
could even be seen as some sort of karma. As long as he stuck to his own code of ethics he would be fine. But he broke his code of ethics with carla jean when he killed her anyways and that's why he was in such a random accident. He decided not to follow chance for once and it cost him.
carla played in the book.
I would also add to this that his PRIDE was the thing sustaining the first injury, in the second Carla refuses to play. He simply can't comprehend it.
“Murderers are not monsters; They are human, and that’s the most terrifying thing about them”
because the Universe is cruel an indifferent something humans are not inherently, so seeing someone embody those traits is made all the more terrifying by knowing its conscious calculated choice. Something Carla Jean confronts Anton on at the end of the movie.
"The coin don't have no say."
"It's just you."
@@Kermit_T_Frog 'Psychopathy' is literally a pathology of the mind. Only a broken mind can become Chigurh, and only a frail mind can be broken. Psychopathy seems evidence *for* human frailty, not evidence against.
@@Kermit_T_Frogyou misinterpreted
No. They are monsters. No misinterpretation you are just wrong. Stop trying to humanize rapist (murderers) and homicidal maniacs.
Nice quote. Humanity is both beautiful and terrifying
"No...I aint gonna call it. The coin dont have no say. It's just you."
I love how the most fragile character in the movie calls out the hypocrisy and emptiness of what in the end is just a hollow bully with a gun.
It's probably my favorite interaction in the film
Call it
100 percent. I love this comment
Peak Cohen Bros
better than her coward of a man
I love how Javier's persistent issue with the role is the hair. Yes, it was a dreadful style, but MAN, did it ever help establish him as 'outside societal norms'
I always felt like he was trying to blend in with that style but his personality ruins it. He’s technically out of touch with the times being that this is 1980-2 and that style is 1974-7
@@1stwonder788🤓
Idk I like men with goofy hair lol
@@SillyGoosePolice You're probably mentally ill is why
Mf looks like Jeff mangum
One of the scariest scenes in the movie for me, is when Anton asks the Accountant, "That depends... Do you see me?" With that slightest hint of a smile. It's the smile that gives me chills in that moment. Cause you don't know if he means "you never saw me, I was never here" or "if you are standing here, seeing me do this, you already know the answer"
I always felt like the guy got spared just for replying that he was 'nobody'
A language Anton speaks.
We will never know what he replied to the "can you see me" sadly
Yeah it always stuck in my head if I'm the accountant I don't even know what I'm about to answer to an insane person. It is very inevitable even for a smartes person to answer when you face with death.
It's the latter I assure you.
@@Bibbo8844hdbks wouldnt be so sure, Anton literally said "it depends"
It's not that deep. He's going to kill him, and the smile says that he gets a kick out of fucking with his victims.
I had this weird theory that Carla Jean never called the coin because she is absolutely right. Chigurh killed her out of annoyance which was evident with her questioning. The car hitting him was just karma for him not sticking to his code. I dont know I could just be spitballing but overall, this is an amazing movie!
he killed her because he promised her husband to kill her if he didnt bring him the money not out of annoyance
That’s interesting
That is a pretty neat theory
In the book she calls head, but even then i would argue he was following his moral code.
I like that interpretation. Very interesting.
The scene with Chigur and the store clerk is interesting because he never says anything particularly threatening but yet there is a feeling of dread.
Idk about all that dude he says a lot of pretty threatening stuff.
In fact the part where the tone of the scene changes for the clerk is when he says "you've been putting it up your whole life"
“Will there be anything else?”
“I don’t know. Will there?”
@tubian323 - Spot on, mate. To me that was the scariest part of the movie. 😐😐
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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“What time do you go to bed? Is that your house out back?” Id say those two questions are pretty threatening asked in succession
I think him sparing the boys is also an acknowledgement of him losing control of the situation. He would not have been able to kill them right away, they could have stopped him from running even.
In a way, sparing them could be interpreted at him tossing the coin on himself. Heads, they describe him to a sketch artist, tails, they don't abandon their sense of honor and keep quiet.
He even hands them money. Granted, it's not a coin, but he puts his fate in their hands by passing them the bill.
It mirrors the scene where Moss gives the young men money for a shirt, I think there's something in Moss and Chigurh are the same person
@@starwarsroo2448 they do look alike
If I remember right, in the book one of the boy's goes to the police after the news of a murder where the suspect is thought to have fled the scene of a car crash goes public. The police go to the other boy but he refuses to talk. Nothing really comes of it.
I think you're far overthinking it. He pays the boys because that's part of his code. You pay for the goods or services others give you. And he has no reason to kill them, so he doesn't.
The interaction with Carla Jean messes with Anton Chigurh - you can tell he's used to people calling it. She refuses, making him have to deal with the fact that it really is his choice, and that he's coercing, not giving choice. We know that it unsettles him because the usually steadfast Chigurh is lost in thought and not paying attention - causing him to get hit by a car. It's random and unplanned as well, but I don't doubt Carla Jean's choice to unveil Anton Chigurh fraudulent moral code played some part.
@Creatotron I don't think his take is a bad take at all. It is an interesting perspective on that interaction and I think being able to interpret that scene different ways makes it all the better. So don't go calling something a bad take because it differs from you. A bad take would be if he was viewing that scene in a way which makes no sense like "Maybe a meteor fell from the sky and killed her and that is why Anton checked his shoes."
Also when you are driving and are distracted you can take a green light at an intersection without noticing an obvious out of control car heading your way. So the green light can also be interpreted that way and showing he was mentally distracted without making it as obvious as him running a red light.
@Creatotron I disagree that Carla Jean misread him. She knew he was crazy the minute he walked through the door and she knew what was in store for her.
Anton does exert control by offering to toss the coin. Like you said, sometimes he just kills outright. Carla unnerved him by by telling him the coin has no say and refusing to play the game.
As for the crash at the end, even the ultimate badass is susceptible to happenstance of everyday life.
Gonna read the book.
@Creatotron Logan's take is not "bad", despite what you think, it is possible to have two valid interpretations of a character's actions.
To me, he sees killing either as a necessity
(they saw me do something and could point me out/they're in the way of completing my objective - they need to go)
or as something that would be good but isn't necessary.
(It would be good to kill every single person who sees him anywhere to leave no witnesses of anything, but it's not necessary.)
So he can utilise either the coin toss (leave it to chance instead of feeling guilt of always killing) or bargaining ("did you see me?") when it's not necessary.
The contrast is clear with the men in the office - he instantly shot his target, and then (my take) let the other man go because he bargained, basically threatening him into silence
(though it's possible he killed him out of necessity as well. it doesn't actually matter, which makes the open end to the scene interesting.)
- and then again with Carla Jean versus the boys: Carla Jean's fate is open-ended to me
(but I assume he killed her because he said he would to Llewelyn - and I take it that the coin toss is giving his "not necessary"-victims a chance, rather than enforcing a sacred rule.)
because she was not a witness and didn't really have anything to do with his mission or targets to do beyond his problem, whereas the boys could simply be bargained into silence - he wasn't really paying that amount of money for the shirt, which he perhaps didn't even need all that much, but rather for their silence.
Also, contemplating the scenes after the end of the movie I would say that him letting the boys go supports him letting the accountant go as well.
@Creatotron same bad take for the first time
The book states that Anton let the accountant live. When he asks "Do you see me?" he says "I will let you live if you pretend you never saw me". The same how he told the boys to tell the cops they didn't see him.
I like to imagine he would have died if he said nothing at all, but by prompting Chigur and minimizing himself as just a faceless nobody among a whole department of nobodies ("accounting"), Chigur was willing to negotiate.
@@kylegonewild Yes. The accountant was smart and that's what saved his life.
Anton is disgusted by hypocrisy when it concerns denying, or even being merely oblivious, of the role of money as a motivation. It’s his whole thing. He might have regarded the accountant as honest in that respect since an accountant is openly concerned with money.
Yeah this video guy def got this wrong. I thought it was pretty obvious he was telling the guy to just act like he didn’t see anything
Yeah, Ive seen this movie like 10 times since it came out, and I always belived the accountant was spared.
Creepy thing about the gas station clerk is that he isn't exactly stupid, he may be weirded out in the moment, think what Anton is doing is stupid, but he'll figure out within a few hours that he caught a break. Might tell his wife about it later as a funny aside, and as he looks back towards her, she looks horrified. And then it hits him.
Interesting to think that he may have looked at the newspaper later that week. He would have seen the carnage, and only then would it set in what the coin toss actually was.
You can see during the whole interaction he is put off by antons atmosphere and when it comes time to call it he is visibly uncomfortable and hesitant because he already knows something bad may happen to him
@@Lleesstreett I definitely got the feeling the gas station attendant knew he was dealing with someone terrible
He obviously knew the stakes, that's why he kept asking. He was told the answer with further explanation "Your whole life leads up to this one moment". "Your LIFE".
Jesus y'all need to go back to grade school.
I figured out down the way that what I like about this movie the most is the movie has no SOUND TRACK as in no music except for one scene but the mood of the movie is set by the everyday sounds of the living things around and just plain everyday movement of cars etc.
Apparently, Javier didn't even speak much english when he did this role. Obviously he understood the message behind his lines but to be able to give such an incredible performance given the circumstances is awe inspiring.
The subconscious sense of detachment probably adds to the performance
shut up
@@Therythman Hey stupid ass, You can read straight from him that he almost turned the role down because he didn't speak English well, even afterwards stating that he was happy he took the role because, "When I was doing Chigurh, my English became so good that I was dreaming in English. Actors don’t learn because they want to know, we learn because we have to learn."
He appeared in Collateral, 3 years prior, and spoke English entirely during his performance. 🤷♀️
Me when i spread misinformation 🤭
Chigurh is so much scarier in the movie than in the book. Even though the dialogue is the same and the scene are pretty much a faithful adaptation, Bardem's accent puts the icing of chill on the cake!
Also his killing of the widow is worse in the books. In the movie, she defies calling the coin toss and then the scene cuts away. In the book, he just badgers her until she admits his worldview is correct, calls it, and gets it wrong.
The accent makes it more terrifying because you don’t even know where this man has even come from and what bloody trail he’s left behind him all these years, without no one ever making him pay for his crimes
@@Spinosaurus44 100%
The book is written very much like a screenplay, so the movie is almost 1:1 adaptation most of the time. There are some small changes. In the book Chigurh's ethnicity is not clear. He has dark features, but big blue eyes, and Lewellyn thinks he looks "exotic". This is one of the few cases where reading the book or watching the movie are both great choices.
That’s just Bardem💀
Well done, i don't believe Anton killed the accountant. When Anton asked who he was and his reply was "Nobody," "Accounting." I think Chigurgh liked the answer as there were no extra words, and he made himself invisible. The kid was faceless/nameless, and he asked simply if he was going to be shot. No begging, no bargaining. I'm sure he answered No to Antons' question, and he lived.
This was my interpretation, and I like it.
But, if I'm being completely honest, I think he actually was killed. 😭😭😭
I agree with you on this interpretation and to bolster it in the last scene with the kids who lived he simply tells them "You didn't see me."
@@jiveturkey333333Good point. I forgot about that. Cheers
It's probably the most ambiguous part of the movie. I guess it depends somewhat on how truthful Anton is as a character and if the accountant lying to himself and saying that he didn't see him would violate Anton's personal code. On one hand he does promise to return to kill Carla Jean and does so according to his code, which paints him as at least truthful to his own standards, but then he contradicts himself by allowing her the option of gambling her life. It's very possible going into the situation that Anton promised himself to kill everyone who could suspect him and the question was rhetorical, but it's also possible he would be willing to overlook someone every once in a while despite his code.
@F̡ac͜e͡l̨e̶ss͟ In the world of Cormac McCarthy, perfectly adapted here by the Coens, the accounting (no pun intended)is scrupulous.Anton is loyal to this stateside cabal. The leader of the organization betrayed this loyalty by bringing in the others. You only need "one right tool for the job." The accountant is part of this organization but did not betray Anton's psychotic code of honor. Anton closed books on everyone, but Carla Jean, whose life he offered up to Llewellyn. Her logic and straightforward ness, I feel, allowed Anton to allow luck/fate intercede on her behalf. It didn't.
Chigurch had no chance to kill the two boys. He was physically injured. A bone was sticking out his arm his face was bleeding and had likely been knocked unconscious and he had no weapon. The police were rapidly approaching. The only decision he had was to flee the scene.
I don’t think he wanted to kill the boys. He lives by a moral code. He doesn’t just kill for kill sake. That’s what makes him so compelling and mysterious.
If we assume he killed the accountant to get rid of any witnesses, then we can also assume he would've killed the boys had he been able to. But he was not capable of doing it in that moment, and was pretty much left to their mercy by offering money for their silence, which is something he wouldn't do in any other situation.
@@AveragecollectorchrisI gotta disagree. I think he would kill anyone who got in his way with no remorse. He isn’t adverse to killing those that offend him no matter how innocently or those they love. His code doesn’t recognize any such thing as an innocent or fair game.
Yeah, I agree. The irony is that in his condition those two boys could have taken him down. The contrast that keeps happening to him in this movie is his diabolical nature to the normal decency of of the people he encounters. The boy literally gives him the shirt off his back and initially turn down the $$ money offered (which 1980 money is a fuck lot more than what you get now) for it because he empathizes with a man in need. This is absolutely alien to Anton in all probability before coming to this small Texas town most of his prior work was among the sort of gangsters and narcos that populate the movie. I think these might be the Cohen bros additions to the story, but these boys and the woman he just killed have probably burst his own delusional mind set for the first time.
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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Commenting for algorithm. Where are all these new channels with high quality videos coming from?
Means a lot 🙌
Theyre everywhere all the time. is this your first time on youtube
high quality audio recording equipment = few hundred bucks.
a good idea = priceless
New site rules rolled out and demonstrated alot of people and thay likely affected the Algorithms
AI video creation has begun! XD
I loved the lack of music in this movie. It makes the scenes feel so much more real and intense
There is music though
"Lack" of music.
@@WellFedProductions
Sweetie, there is music in the movie. Remember, when Llewelyn wakes up in Mexico and there's a small band playing for him? Translate the lyrics, sweetie 😘. You'll thank me later.
@marcoballesteros4566 I know but it's ambient music because it's actually being being played in the movie by a band. What I meant is there's no soundtrack just playing over a bunch of shots like most movies do. It makes it feel a lot more real to me. I had no idea the song had a deeper meaning about Llewelyn though.
@@Teimo "You wanted to fly without wings,
You wanted to touch the sky,
You wanted riches,
You wanted to play with fire,
And now you found out...
I love Carla Jean's short interaction with Chigurh, a few short sentences turned her character from "the wife" into the only person in the whole movie who "broke" Chigurh for a bit and saw right through him. She's clearly very smart and emotionally extremely dangerous to him as a character, which gives her a near 0% chance to survive the story
Rupty 🤘
It is not that she is smart, it is just that she accepted her fate.
Nah she’s smart, she sees right through Anton’s b.s.
@@fakename287 That Is not why she saw what antin chigurh was, it was her pain that gave her that idea, she matured since her husband was killed.
She should have just pulled out her glock 16 and killed him. That simple.
I think an interesting detail no one seems to speak about is how when carla tells him “the coin dont have no say” it looks like in his facial expressions anton seems like he doubts for a split second what hes about to do- she made him question the true meaning of the coin- and he knows deep down its true- until his face changes and he smiles having come up with the reason that the coin got there the same way he did.
@YuraFaghot thats a pretty hot take- do you have any other examples?
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💯
What i loved about Carla is that she was bald enough to talk so freely with Chigurh. Most characters were terrified, but she had the guts to question him on his methods, and this is just amazing writing as in reality no person is the same, she happened to be a ballsy southern girl who says her mind even in the most dire situation.
Because she only had her life to lose after Llewelyn and her mother. Almost like she was expecting it, waiting for it, welcoming it
You mean bald as a contrast to his sick haircut?
@@joelbruhn4118 Yep, because Chigurh is really the grim reaper. She's knows her time is up. She's upset that it ended this way. Moss betrayed her totally when he took the money and rejected the quiet life with the woman that loved him. She was the innocent victim of her man's betrayal.
She definitely understood what was gonna happen after saying “you don’t have to do this.” She realized how he was an absolute psychopath.
I don’t think he killed her, it’s never shown, I think she’s alive and THATS why Karma stuck him Because he DIDN’T kill her!
I remember there was a study that a group of psychiatrists studied 400 movies to find the most realistic psychopath. They found Anton Chigurh the most realistic.
Quite unfathomable that they would think this guy is realistic. The guy totally stinks of plot armor. Plot armor doesn't exist. It is painfully clear that the writer is on his side every step of the way.
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay that's not what they meant by "realistic psychopath."
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay
Realistic, as in the actor did an excellent job portraying a true psychopath, in both mannerisms, personality, & characteristics. The plot armor is there, because it's a movie.
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay no, as I the portrayal of a psychopath was realistic, not that the movie was realistic.
Notice: psychologists
Now why would that be judges on realism of the movie as a whole?
A little bit of critical thinking skills could have saved you from thus blunder.
@@NostalgicGamerRickOShay They're analyzing the character's behavior, not the plot of the story.
One really important detail that can often be overlooked or forgotten, is that it's Moss's conscience bothering him about the thirsty mexican man asking for water that ultimately compels him to go back to the scene.
that one decision cost him his life
@@sder Yup. It's a rather fitting thematic message.
@@sder he finds the money before then doesnt he? it had the tracking device in it the entire time so he wouldve been found anyways
@@sder it actually prolonged his life, he was going to be hit anyway. But it happened in a moment where he was somewhat prepared, rather than when it was most unexpected, in his sleep at home perhaps.
@@143jcm It made finding him far easier. Otherwise someone would have to just drive around with a tracker, that seemed to have really limited range. They could have easily missed his place.
I’m %100 certain the two kids at the end weren’t in any danger. They provided him service and didn’t annoy him in any way. He said “you didn’t see me i was already gone” and walked away without pushing the envelope or threatening consequences for talking. The money wasn’t about the shirt, it was hush money and both parties got what they wanted
And you're totally right
I agree. The kid didn't negotiate for the shirt. He gave it to him to help and Chigur gave him the money because his code didn't allow him not to. Also, he departed quickly as he was injured and would have been captured, he didn't have the leverage to apply his code then. He was helped, injured, and in jeopardy.
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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Yes, the money is hush money. He channels the devil. When the devil is weak in a situation, he operates through gifts rather than threats.
The money was also for Chigurrh to avoid the fact that kindness is a free gift he doesnt have to pay for. He works for a demon and sees himself as a victim. It would shatter his reality to feel like he accepted angel work into his life. Incorporating money allows Chigurrh to pretend that universe world runs on sins, and he wanted to dirty the situation by bringing money into it. You saw what happened with the money, right? Instead of the kids walking away, being proud of doing a selfless thing, instead he introduced conflict into their world as the kids started arguing over the money. He bought their silence. The kids could have just done a selfless thing and then told the truth to the police. Instead, they cant say they did a selfless thing, and now they owe him to be liars. Now the police and their community may be mad with them for being liars, all because they gave into temptation.
In this scene, like the people in the Garden of Eden, they gave into temptation. Soon, their fathers will ask them what they have done. The kids will lie, and will likely be punished for it, like Adam and Eve were. All of this because the snake (Chigurrh) tempted them.
At that point he was desperate/injured & needed their help to escape the quickly approaching sirens. The only time in the movie he didn't have the upper hand of the situation.
The thing in the gasstation-scene is, that you can feel, that he strive to kill this old man, but let go after the coin toss. One of the best movie scenes ever made.
100th like
He definitely was planning on coming back at 9:30😂
Chigurh is the grim reaper. The old man is close to his last day, but not on that day. Today is his lucky day, which is true for all old men who live to see another morning. But he has been "putting it up all his life" because it is true that every day we live is partly based on the luck we don't get killed in some stupid random event.
@@PGHEngineerNot luck , it is FATE. Nothing or nobody can escape it's reach.
Idk, seemed pretty happy that he called it right.
I like the way he says "Well done!" when the old guy at the station wins. He is not frustrated in the slightest. It's so subtle but it seems like the is enthusiastic, as if the guy made a huge play on faith. He is not happy on not having to kill, but simply because in his mind the old guy made a good play on destiny itself.
I think the reason he didnt kill the kids after the crash is more to do with him being shaken up for possibly the first time in his life. He has likely never come that close to death himself in a tangable feelable way,. You can see the confusion in his face and the whole demenor he had through the film dissapears for a few minutes, he becomes relatively sane.
He got shook up when Moss got the drop on him, shot him in the leg almost killing him
I always felt it was more practical. He was in the middle of a residential street, daylight, sirens incomming, he was also very badly injured and there were two boys on bicycles, meaning at least one was likely to be able to out run him, and the injured arm meant using a weapon or his bare hands would be extremely difficult. A big feature of his motivation was remaining somewhat like a phantom, and the chances of being caught while in the worst possible physical state were too high to delay his escape.
He was on the other end of the coin toss, and begged to live. Demonstrating he is a hypocrite.
Yea i think it was more of an im injured, i need a sling, these kids think im a pedestrian i’ll give em some cash for the shirt to make a sling and tell them not to mention me type of thing lol
@Mason he's weak AF, ALL of his victims are literally weak, no combat skills, no real "ragdoll a mothaf*cka" strength, no handspeed,no agression in them. They just sit there like scared sheep or run away(SLOW) while he just does whatever he wants to them. Let him try that with Tyson,Rambo,wick, bournE,lee,a navy seal, Mayweather,Judah,mike Jai white,bones Jones,Roy Jones, or bas rutten😒... Get his SHIH caved TF in 🤣💯🧔🏾♂️.
The accident is due to Anton himself becoming accountable when his coin toss is refused. He's no longer shielded by chance. This movie is just incredible.
@YuraFaghot very interesting those scenes always puzzled me.
Excellent analysis. Anton's mystery is a representation of death itself, his philosophy of chance only adds to the terror and him essentially playing with his food with Carson means the coin does not need to flip. It's a brutally dark contrast to Bell's rose tinted view of the old days, something his uncle and the events force him to wake up from in the end.
Playing with his food is a good way to put it
@@sder ummm about that last scene..... the audience that viewed anton as death itself faded away when he got in the car crash as to remind the audience that he's just a human
Holy Shit this is actually amazing. The analysis of the character is out of this world.
means a lot man
@@sder What is the piano song in the background ?
Theres other videos. No disrespect to the channel owner. But, this is my favorite bad guy. It was done well.
@@nicholasmolnar8312 Disrespect to the channel owner here. This was horribly unoriginal and has been done to death many times. The vile eye did it better th-cam.com/video/UnnfoTAs5Ww/w-d-xo.html and wendigoon did one too th-cam.com/video/W5En4vfsq18/w-d-xo.html
Earned my dislike
@@Jackrobert28 the piano music in the last segment of the video is by Erik Satie, one of his Gnossienes. I don't recall it being used in the movie soundtrack.
this character is beautifully acted probably one of the best acting in any movie in my opinion
javier bardem truly became anton chigurh, such a great performance
The scariest villains are the ones who can keep a calm demeanor and smile at you. Same with Hans Landa.
Who??
When he says the second time "you stand to win everything" it's at that moment that the store clerk knew what it was all about.
Clerks acting is super underrated. 👌
indirectly saying he also stand to lose everything hehe, clever.
why was he marring into a biz a big deal?
@@timbakke2443 simps do that.
@@timbakke2443 it is unmanly by Chigurh's standards. the way he sees it, one should stand up for himself and owe everything only to himself. compromising on one's nature is out of question. that's why he smirks when Carson tries to bribe him ("...an ATM?"). marrying into a business is essentially a form of accepting a bribe.
Such a beautifully deep film. To me, Antons last scene represents that even a seemingly unstoppable “mediator of death” is not immune to the same chance he enforces. Its an underlying theme throughout the entire picture, it’s what makes it feel so realistic.
In a traditional story, the likable protagonist would come out on top and best his evil pursuer. But real life is rarely if ever so cinematic. Llewelyn is killed off screen, there is no dramatic death scene, or epic final battle. Just instant, remorseless death. Which is how it would actually go down. A common, albeit, skilled man, vs a relentless psycho expert hitman. This film is totally immune to cliches or tired old archetypes. It feels as though you are watching a real story, with real characters. As if it weren’t written by a man, but a timeline woven by the hands of fate itself.
I agree with your interpretation, but as for:
"Which is how it would actually go down. A common, albeit, skilled man, vs a relentless psycho expert hitman"
Llelewyn is actually killed by the Mexicans, not by Chigurh himself.
This movie is not about Llewelyn anyways it’s about the sheriff and his battle with his own pride and being too old for a wild and crazy world. This is why Llewelyn dies off screen, and why the sheriff never meets or catches Anton. It can be interpreted that Anton’s crazy haircut and appearance is only how the sheriff perceived this insane threat he is pursuing and never once gets a description of. This guy misses all of this focusing on chygur the entire video.
All this said it’s still a great video but bro missed the whole point of the movie, like 97% of viewers
@@Catalyst512 Thats certainly the most surface level element of the film (it’s literally in the title) but it’s not the only one. This film was adapted from a 320 page novel so it’s going to have various layers of meaning or interpretation.
It's just a brilliant example of cinematography; show brutal acts, & then leave holes, some for interpretation, others for the imagination.
@@Catalyst512 Bro you're just parroting exactly what Wendigoon said in his video. Get your own interpretation before talking down to people. Can't stand midwits who hear someone else say something then repeat it like its word of God.
I personally think that he did kill Carla Jean even as she didn't call his coin toss and forced his will instead of relying on destiny. It was sin to Anton and as such you can interpret his accident as his destined punishment of transgression. It might also be universe showing that Destiny is not only force that governs it and Random shows up in form of accident. Something out of nowhere is capable of hurting Anton Chigurh. Just because as that is how Random is. Destiny says "because so" and Random says "just because" and that's their difference.
There is lots of subconscious "human" in Anton as he clearly shows human reactions and emotions to stimuli. He is obviously sadistic yet doesn't seem to enjoy it.
You'll be overjoyed to know that Carla Jean actually did this in the book. She denies Anton his attempt to absolve himself of responsibility, forcing him to choose
@@callumbreton8930 There is another "human" thing Anton shows. He had promised Moss that he would kill his whole family if he didn't return the money. Money was not returned so he would kill them as well yet he obviously wasn't being paid. Anton could kill very efficiently as scene in office tells, yet he didn't kill Carla Jean like that. He was unsure of himself and needed confirmation from Destiny.
My take: She continued to refuse to call it, so he had to kill her according to his moral code. Her previous statement about the coin having no say, just him, forced him to acknowledge the fact that his "moral code" is B.S. He's shaken up and distracted by that, which caused him to not see the car heading directly for him. The quick shot of the windshield taking up the full field of view I believe is a subtle way of saying he's not fully aware of his surroundings, it shows his lack of awareness to his peripheral vision. If he hadn't been lost in contemplation, he likely would have seen the car coming at him. Additionally, the shot of his windshield also can symbolize his singular focus on his code and how it is flawed and destined to end badly. His inability (or refusal) to see any other way means he was bound to get blindsided eventually.
There's a grim detail in the film. When walking out of the house after meeting Carla, he looks at the soles of his shoes to see if they're bloody and would leave any footprints.
I think this kinda hints back to his conversation with Carson too, when he's talking about the rule he followed. Anton probably killed her, breaking his own "rule", and thus it led him to dwelling on it, causing his accident.
I remember a character from a novel coming to realization that the most self-evident and mundane sayings that we take for granted are often the most profound. Anton ran into this with Carla Jean. He really doesn't have to do it, but he always saw that phrase as a disgusting plea for mercy without understanding that he's holding all the cards, and he's choosing how to play them. Blind chance didn't kill those innocent people, he did. You can see how uncomfortable he gets when she makes him see it.
Probably the best movie ever put to film.
I agree. It reminds me of whem a person lost in their own victimhood starts to recognize their agency and accountability.
I quit watching movies after seeing this one for the 10th time. Masterpiece.... Bravo
My take: Carla Jean emphazises the individualization of the murderer, thus removing the mythological/quasi "angel of death" mindset of Chigurh. For human beings to be moral one has to bear the burden of choice, the antagonist is terrifying because he renounces his humanity, renounces choise, but cannot escape it completely as the victims reinforces that he is indeed not what he views himself to be. Carla Jean in this sense represents the movies most well spoken voice of reason, to us as an audience in face of the horror of the antagonist. And he cannot handle that.
He handles it just fine, what? How does he not handle it? Him killing her is what he planned to do the whole time. He didn't get upset and kill her in rage. You're inserting and then projecting, I think
@@NoConsequenc3 not only he handles it fine, he's not even surprised by her stance ("people always say this - you don't have to do this").
her behavior is heroic - she chooses death over humiliation, at the cost of giving up on a 50% chance to save her life - but Chigurh had already made it clear that he judges principles by their outcome ("if the rule you followed brought you to this - of what use was the rule?").
so he's neither surprised nor impressed by her decision.
i understand why people prefer to take this view though (as evidenced by upvotes, for a start :)), but i don't think what we see in the movie validates it at all; it blatantly contradicts it.
One of my favorite moments of the film is when Lewellen thinks Wells says Sugar instead of Chigurh. The look on his face says it all. He can't believe such a ruthless killer would call himself that. Its details like that make this film so memorable.
sugar?!
My favorite part of the coin toss scene has to be when Anton says “Which it is”. It’s a breath of fresh air for the scene and a gap in the mysticism of Chigurh’s actions. He knows it’s just a coin and he knows he’s just a man just doing his job. He lets the clerk see that and leaves without saying another word. He wants the clerk and in a truer sense the audience to know that Chigurh is not some unkillable gun toting monster but rather an efficient merciless psychopath. It plays heavily on one of the many themes of the film which is the unpredictability of life itself and how just a regular coin and a chance meetup can decide your fate.
Agreed, and his fave gesture is perfect
I love how whenever Javier Bardem talks about No Country for Old Men 90% of it is hating on the haircut
Anton is one of the most fascinating villains in cinema. I always enjoy videos analyzing his character. You definitely earned my sub. This channel has the potential to get big.
Glad you enjoyed it!
"Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."
This quote really fits for Anton
wrong movie batturd
@@friedgreenaliernwomerns2600 he’s saying the quote fits the character R-tard. Did he at any point say “oh that was a great quote in the film!” No he didn’t.
@truebeliever Probably idiot movie fans who go "Lol dis iz laik Batturd iz zo deeeeep!!"
It doesn't though. That quote refers to madness, anarchy, a lack of a plan. Anton is relaxed, collected and plans everything he does. Even with the coin toss scene, he may not have known if it would be heads or tails, but he knew that the clerk's life was in Anton's hands at that moment, regardless of the result of the flip.
I don't think it fits this character. He's not chaotic at all.
He's the most terrifying human villain I've ever seen. Brilliantly done.
Favorite inhuman?
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
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google supports their presidential candidates by giving their hate groups messages a voice while shutting down people questioning it
I wouldn't say the store clerk is unwittingly playing the coin game. Gradually through the scene he goes from confusion to a sense of dread even before the coin toss.
But once he accepts his fate and calls heads, fate spares him and the audience and him feel a sense of relief as Chigur goes from foreboding to chipper in an instant.
The bit with the boys is interesting , he would not take the shirt for nothing because that would put him at odds with his code , meaning he wouldn't have earned it , he would be like the gas station clerk who married into a position , and as such would be subject to his own coin toss.
I feel you are reading to deep into this. He obviously wouldn't have given that much thought in the situation. He understood that he was taking a risk when he just decided to leave. But it was the first time in the film that he was letting his moral-necessity code subside and let things go to fate (he would never know if the kids will rat out or not) mostly because it was fate that fucked him up in the first place. The same fate that he was harnessing in a way. Carla Jean broke that notion that there is no fate or higher power involved in his actions. He's just a deranged lunatic with a shotgun and some skills. This along with the unfateful accident made him realise that there is no code or rule. And he is just as vulnerable as all of his victims
@@insert-name101 You do realize psychopaths give lots of thought on many topics....my assumptions are based on all the events leading up to that moment , so i call it as i see it.....to say im reading to deep into it could also be flipped on your comment. 1. at no point does it seem he is becoming less of a psychopath. 2.It's a fictional movie you are watching Javier Bardem essentially doing his job.
@@Kronikalrag3 psychopaths have a code that they follow, but its a code to make them feel good, not a godly entity that they feel they must fight for. They probably consider their code important bur they probably consider their lives even more important.
@@insert-name101 killing the kids and leaving the scene badly injured, not even having a car to drive anymore, would actually put him at more risk than sparing them (like, where or how would he hide the bodies, having a broken hand at that? at least Carla's body won't be found for a while). so it's the logical choice, even accounting for the risk that they give his description to the authorities.
I agree. The Devil is all about being proud to have "earned the right to be evil." The Devil likes to focus on people owing it.
It doesnt like that Jesus' gifts are free. That would betray its worldview of debt and retribution.
Money is the mark of the beast. Money and pride is the root of all evil. It sure is for Moss and Anton in this story! You see how Anton sparked conflict in the boys with the money, and made them liars. If they lie to police and their community, they are liars. If they tell the truth, well then they become liars because they agreed to Anton about staying quiet. Anton corrupted them. They cant say they did a selfless gesture. They can't say they helped stop a brutal serial killer. They are now dirtied by this instance of chance and money. As before, so in the end. In the beginning, the man with the money died in the shade, and so did Moss later on. In the beginning there was a lot of death on both sides, and so there was too at end of the Moss saga. In the beginning, there is one man injured, begging the innocent for help. In the end, there was one man innocent begging for help. In both the beginning and the end, the innocent are corrupted by money, and the cruel chance lives on.
I love the idea of his internal conflict of trying to reject his own humanity
I think he's on the autism spectrum.
The most off-putting thing about Chigurh is that he doesn't act like any human. He almost acts like a demon or a human who worships a cosmic horror or something. The reason why he works so well for the movie is because he isn't supposed to make sense to us. His rules aren't supposed to resonate. They are supposed to exist, but only make sense to Chigurh alone. In that way he mirrors the new generations. Thus the title of the movie makes sense. Chigurh represents younger generations with different rules that make no sense to the older generations. They seem to only destroy, never build or nurture. We never know him long enough to see if he ever changes like new generations do.
I like that. Good point.
But he did change when he let the kids live.
@@RandomBazooka I don't think that was change? That was contractual.
The older generations tend to be the ones doing a lot more harm while offloading the blame onto bullshit rules and chance.
@@pleasegoawaydude Everyone says that until the older generations start dying off. Then they realize that nobody is running the asylum. All of the supposed bad being done would be done by the younger generations as well. The younger generations come up with rules that they think will fix things, but they are just as destructive and misguided as the older generations were.
The fact that this is the same actor as Stilgar from Dune is wild to me.
Anton Chigurh represented one of the 3 major existing moralities in the universe according to this movie. Most of the movie’s characters, including Llewelyn Moss, represent The Rule of Man. This rule dictates that instinct and human nature guides us in order to forge our own life and existence. Many of the characters follow this rule by serving themselves via the promise of profit. The second main one is The Rule of The Self. This rule dictates that the old world was preferable to the new one, and that one should try to regain that old world. However, this rule contradicts itself, as the world has always been unforgiving, it doesn’t pamper to people, and that it’s vain to try and make a world that does. The third main ideology is The Rule of The World. This rule is the one Anton Chigurh follows. This rule dictates that the only true rule is that of chance, of a random list of factors that result in life or death. For Anton, this rule is represented by the coin toss. The rule of the world chooses who lives or dies, not him. He’s simply a instrument of the universe’s will, which to him, is the only true honorable life one can live.
I always tell people I view No Country for Old Men as a horror flick. Anton was absolutely terrifying 😮
It is a horror in the sense that the overarching message is one of complete helplessness. The evil is inevitable. That's what the sheriff says, more or less.
Yeah, in that sense that he is almost a supernatural force.
I've watched this movie only once, but I had seen many notable scenes before watching the movie (Texaco, ofc). As soon as the movie was finished, my wife asked me what I thought, and I told her, "I don't understand anything that just happened, but this was a 10/10 classic in my eyes." This is the exact type of movie I think of when I think of "cinema." Nothing was given to me, and it's made so much better for it. I need to watch it again.
It struck me every time you talked about music or lack thereof because one of my favorite aspects of this movie was its almost complete lack of soundtrack. It's a creative decision that makes the entire movie feel tense. There is no release. It's just varying levels of tension for like two hours
I think the most interesting part was his reaction to having his insanity summed up by Lewelynn’s wife.
“The coin doesn’t decide, you do.”
As in, he’s pretending that he’s not responsible for his actions. He acts like he himself is the weapon, not the one holding it. He thinks he’s the gun, not the hand.
I have described Anton Chigur as “the guy in your nightmares who’s following you; you’re terrified of him, ave even though he’s moving very slowly you can’t get away because it’s like you’re stuck in molasses”. I thought everyone has had this dream, that it’s an archetypal nightmare. It’s surprising to me that nobody I’ve described him to in this way has recognized ever having had the same type of dream. To me, however, this is exactly who Anton Chigur is. And why he is so terrifying.
I know just what you mean! That’s exactly why he was so terrifying to me when I watched for the first time. Inexorable doom+clumsy panicked escape attempt
Give me that dog.
@@labrador-fx3fb exactly!…
And here come the flying monkeys 😱
Interpretation is subjective
I know exactly what you mean. When I was a kid I had terrible nightmares and it always felt like I was running through waist-deep water and no one would ever believe me when I tried to warn them of the danger.
I like your final point, that a story like this persists because it doesn't pander. We are in such a deep pile of junk right now because of a false perception of backlash, and it has paralyzed studios into making nothing worth watching.
precisely
new movies bad
Honestly, I haven't seena real notable worth watching movie come out in the cinemas within the last 10 years or so. With the exception of the Marvel movies, which were basically all pretty great.
Nothing new though, and nothing original.
No mystery films, no actually good Sci fi films, no good westerns, or action movies, no good adventure films.
The only most RECENT good movies within the past 10-15 years were I think John Wick, Wolf of Wall Street, Interstellar, The Martian, Get Out, and Grand Budpest hotel. Oh the 007 ones as well.
@@rahmspinat Hollywood bad
FT FY
Pandering movies were already rampant in the 2000s, we only now remember what stands the test of time and the same conversation will be had 10 years from now, stop being boomers
I read the boys a different way, I think it's the time we see Anton as he really is, he's a desperate scared criminal. And despite his cultivation of a metaphysical weight, he can't consider that anyone might do him a kindness for the sake of it (he presumes, even demands, that the boys be drawn into a trade, rather than help him out of charity.)
@
J. Murphy bc he's seriously f*cked up in the head. Eventually ppl like him meet that 1 motherf*cker who shuts his SHIH down...in his case, he'll be mercilessly done in by someone he has ZERO chance against.
*"Every dog has his day."*
Great observation. I feel that too. Throughout the film, it was mentioned that chigurh is this relentless monster that cannot be negotiated with. He's the carrier of death who believes with his own crooked moral code and he turns to fate whenever the code isn't sufficient enough to take the person's life (as in when it's not exactly necessary for him to kill ((as Carla Jean & the gas store owner where the two most harmless and vulnerable PPL in the film)) but he wants to. Thus either choice is justified)
Thus even looked down by the sheriff as this new kind of evil he doesn't want to deal with, because he doesn't understand it and thus he cannot deal with. But all that is slowly ripped off. How such crimes existed even back in the day. How Carla Jean showed Anton who he actually was. How fate overtook and screwed everyone in the film, including chigurh. The more i read into the film, the better it gets. I didn't like this film at all in the first viewing. But now it's something entirely different
I've watched a lot of these reviews of No Country, because it's a great film. And one thing I've noticed is how no one ever talks about the lady in the trailer park office, the one who tells Chigurh to pound sand when he demands information about Moss. I used to wonder why she never comes up, and then I realized that the reviewers, like me and like Chigurh himself, are scared of her.
That woman is the baddest MF in the movie
Cool perspective. Somehow subconsciously we avoid those who Chigurh avoided. That scene would have been great to include in this analysis.
That SCENE AINT ALLOWED TO give NO INFORMATION ON ANY OF ITS RESIDENTS. Sir, are you deaf? *Toilet flush*
She's a doul-dimensional entity. She files nails and chills, yet is in another room poopin and flushing at the same time. The smell alone had Anton shook. He didnt have enough Chigurrh sugar to satisfy her honey buns, and everyone in that scene knew it. It's embarrassing for both Anton and the viewers, who relate to being rejected so acutely by fine women such as herself.
I know but he didn't back off until he knew someone else was there.
Javier Bardem is a fantastic actor, I don't think Anton would have been as terrifying if it weren't for his performance! His voice, his demeanor, everything is spot on!
I think something that adds slightly more depth to Chigurh's ("Sugar??") complexity is the dichotomy of what he views himself as and what he ultimately shows himself to be. As you mentioned, Soder, Anton definitely comes across as a messenger or negotiator of death; a vessel of chance and fate. The coin toss scene embodies this perfectly; however, there's one moment within that scene that's always fascinated me and forced me to look at his character differently (in conjunction with a later scene). Chigurh urges the gas station owner to not mix up the coin, lest it become just another one amongst many. But he closes with the line "which it is". Anton has spent this entire scene talking about fate and chance, how the coin's path and the station owner's path have all lead to this one life-changing moment, and then an instant later seemingly tears that whole concept down by simply acknowledging there's nothing special about this, it's just a coin. It's as if fate really had nothing to do with this, but Anton wants the station owner (and maybe himself?) to believe it did.
I believe Carla Jean's final moments link back to this scene very interestingly. When she defiantly tells Anton that the coin has no say or power, but that he ultimately does, I think it's the first time that someone has forced Anton to confront his own moral code and beliefs. It seems he truly believes or wants to believe that he is some messenger or other-worldly middleman for chance, while in actuality he may use that to mask his psychopathic tendencies. Or it's as if presenting people with the illusion of chance gives him more power over people.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but later in the movie isn't there a news report in the background that mentions a gas station owner being found dead in the shop? I'm assuming Anton went back and killed him, which makes the whole coin ordeal even more jarring. Anton is truly one of the most subtly complex and intriguing villains to grace our screens.
His facial gesture when he says it is perfect
I disagree with one part:
"while in actuality he may use that to mask his psychopathic tendencies. Or it's as if presenting people with the illusion of chance gives him more power over people."
Chigurh is a psychopath. Pretty much every common conceptions, common sense or logic would likely not apply to him. He sees the world completely differently from others people, and struggle to apprehend that fact. The world is ruled by a (complex?) set of laws, and no one, not even him is above said laws. Theses laws are not human laws, but rules he figured himself and that he deems necessary for the world to stay in order; to not descend into chaos.
We can only assume what those rules of his are. One would be the importance of one's words, and the moral obligation to stay true to them. But above theses rules, he also recognize the existence of a superior entity. He thinks of it as fate, and it is his way of explaining why things don't always go as they should. When he toss the coin and ask his interlocutor to pick one, he does not do it to remove any responsibility from himself. He has no remorse, he only try to make the world a better place. By tossing the coin, he sets up an appointment between his victim, and their fate. According to his rules, they must die. Fate is the only entity left who holds the power to spare their life.
Why some people get to have a coin toss while many others don't is unknown. But I view Chigurh's character as a very resilient, logical (by his own point of view) and emotionless individual. He does not try to hide his psychopathy, because this is simply how the world work (most people simply can't seem to realize it). He is a part of this world, just like his victims were and he does not hold any power over anyone. He knows very well his own fate will catch him someday. Until then he will continue to help the world go round.
@@TeteBruleeFR That's certainly possible. I think it can both be true that Anton truly believes he's an emissary of fate and consciously (or subconsciously) knows that presenting people with "the choice" gives him an immense amount of power and control in those situations. I agree that he's largely a very emotionless human being; however, he's still a psychopath, and psychopaths do take some satisfaction out of what they do. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to assume that Anton (on some level) enjoys what he does. The way he toys with his victims or would-be victims during or after the coin toss/fate's choice I think shows that very human side of him.
No not "sugar", it's more like "shigöör"
@@gamechip06 No. I was quoting Llewyn from the movie. When Carson is telling Llewyn about Anton and references him as Chigurh, Llewyn responds by saying "Sugar??" Why do you think I used quotation marks? Haven't you seen the film?
Bardem is a very talented actor. After seeing some of his other screen performances I became a fan. I'm sure he's known by more people in Europe, Spain especially.
Nobody takes into account that Anton got a tank of gas and some candy for 25c, well played sir!
I think the scene where the boy give him his shirt is better interpreted as Chiguhr admitting his limits. The boy said he'd give him his shirt and began doing so before Anton pulled out any money, and Anton hands the kid the 100 right as he says "you didn't see me, I was already gone" as he looks for other potential witnesses. He doesn't waste time toying with them, asking "do you see me?" rather, takes a more reasonable approach because he realizes he couldn't possibly just kill these two kids, injured and seemingly unarmed, and get away with the cops already on their way. Rather, he pays them off and tells them to lie like some common thug might do. Though Chiguhr is a monster who revels in enforcing his twisted moral code, he's also a ruthlessly efficient hitman. I think Chiguhr chose to be a hitman the same way a predator might choose to be a school teacher; it's the job that gives them the best chance to carry out their sick tendencies. The cartel didn't know or care how twisted Anton was so long as he did his job. Anton takes his job very seriously, yet he is content letting the shop keep and Carla Jean live if they call a coin, showing that his own code is more important to him than his job's requirement of remaining unseen.
Great review of the movie. One thing I'd like to reveal about the novel is that Chigurgh's motivation/mission Is revealed- he takes the money to the Matacumbe Petroleum Company, where a big head (assumed to be the CEO) has an office. This man was the original investor, but Chigurh should have had No way of figuring that out. When he shows up in a suit with the money, the man is like '.....What the fuck are you doing here?' And Chigurgh basically explains that all of the other men he had hired were incompetent, and that if he hired Chigurh, they would hire different people, who actually know what they're doing. Chigurh basically fired these men in a sense. Also, he was Much crueller to Carla Jean in the novel. He convinced her Moss demanded Chigurh kill his wife, convinced her to betray her faith and call the toss, and then he shot her. He is an absolute monster.
I watched this movie when it came out and few days after I had a nightmare where this character was chasing me non stop, it was one of the most terrifying nightmares I've had.
I like how he also waited for the phone to ring again right before he shots Carson. Helps covering the noise of his already silenced shotgun.
I always figured Anton's "do you see me" line to the accountant was him basically saying "As long as you acknowledge that I am not nor ever was here...then you will continue to enjoy your stay on this earth"(his *you didn't see me* line being a callback to this 18:07). It also adds to his rather sporadic nature making him more unpredictable and difficult to read. I don't think he killed him.
Me neither, most people seem to do so actually and apperantly in the book he lives too. The whole thing with "do/did you see me" also isnt new, its been done in a lot of media and meant to be taken "literally" there. I do understand how someone could see the question as being rhetorical though since Anton is so cold blooded.
I've always thought of Chigurh as chaos incarnate. His actions are violent but the universe often is. The coin represents a possibility, but he talks about the journey that the coin has taken as if it had a part in this. As if anyone else that handled that coin played a part in the result. He can always find a way to justify what he's doing but a lot of the people that he puts in danger are only in that danger because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's just a controlled path of destruction decided entirely by a fate that none of the people involved chose to be a part of.
Great video, he is one of the scariest villains for sure. He's so effective too because he has no remorse and seems to have virtually no fear, only some instict for self preservation. These things automatically give him the upper hand when engaged with somone else like in a gun fight when the other guy is shitting his pants
The sad part about Carlas situation was he went from her having no chance to live to a 50% chance, which was somewhat kind of him to do considering he already decided he was going to kill her. The kids however went over to him, they werent in his way at any point in time, they crossed paths with him, he didnt cross paths with them. In a sense the kids were completely innocent.
The kids were symbolic of innocent Moss when he stumbled upon the unholy crime scene. They were corrupted by the money. Now had to be liars lest Anton call them liars for talking when Anton told them to be quiet to people. They didnt ask for the money but it came to them and started conflict in their lives. Theres even an injured man asking for help at the initial drug deal "accident".
Money is the mark of the beast. Money and pride are the root of all evil. Guess what Anton had a lot of? Both! Moss did too at the end. At the beginning he didn't. The kids had both money and pride at the end too.
The amount of quality put into this for a channel with 453 subscribers is insane you earned a sub and my respect in which you probably don’t care about
I care Mr Krills
1.2k
@@sder Thanks it’s pretty cool recommendations are giving you fruits for your labor
The part where Carla Jean says, "You have no cause to kill me," is chilling. Anton tells her that he does have a reason to kill her. He had told Llewelyn that he would kill her, so he was obliged to do it. He had to kill her to hurt someone who was already dead.
I doubt someone like Anton would believe in any sort of afterlife, so it's not even like he thinks Llewelyn will ever know that his irresponsible actions got his wife killed.
I thought the accountant lived.
I always took “do you see me” to mean that he was giving the accountant the chance to live if he promised he didn’t see anything.
yeah, that seems to be a widely held perspective
He liked the accountant before he started acting scared and trying to put the agency of his death into Anton's hands. Anton doesnt like feeling accountable, and he doesnt like people who beg. So, he showed the man that it "wasn't Anton's fault" Anton had to shoot him. Anton likes having excuses to corrupt or hurt people.
If the accountant had shown he was corrupt by closing his eyes earlier and noting that he didn't see anything, he might have gotten away. Anton loves when people shamelessly deal with the devil in a certain way. Anton deals with the devil in a certain way too.
What you said towards the end of the video really resonated with me; that movies not built upon pandering stand the test of time. It also made me acutely aware that I can't recall any "large" or "blockbuster" movies from around 2010 onwards which have retained their initial effect or charm, simply because their goal is to create profit, not tell good stories. Thanks for making this video.
Good stuff, well done. I feel like he’s the type of believable but horrifying villain that would fit right in to the Breaking Bad universe, among the scariest and most believable and well written villains ever written. I felt so much stress and tension watching this movie each time. Total classic and highly under appreciated film IMO.
he’s kinda like the mexican brothers with the axe
Breaking Bad and No Country For Old Men can both be described as Neo Westerns so that's an intresting link to make.
@@tomkemball-cook1923 I’ve never heard the term “neo-western” but it’s appropriate, I definitely highly enjoy the little bit of the genre I’ve been exposed to. Seems like almost anything that could be described as a “neo-western” has a seriously high standard of quality, possibly a bias but I can’t think of anything similar I wouldn’t consider A+ tier work
@@moonhead5555 It's just a term to describe newer films that borrow the structure and stylings of the classic Western, a genre that has largely died.
@@kylegonewild right, I was just saying they seem to be of consistently high quality
After seeing the first coin toss with the gas station shop owner, I saw that as the movie showing us that he’s a man of his word. When he goes and kills the guy in front of the accountant, asking him if he saw him there WAS the coin toss and I like to believe that the accountant said no and was spared. This is kind of backing up my theory that he doesn’t care about witnesses or leaving a trail. It’s reinforced more when he doesn’t have the time after the car accident to negotiate with the boys. He made the decision for them so he can get on his way quickly
I like the small moments of regular human compassion in this film that remind you people aren’t fundamentally bad. People are generally (initially at least) kind to this character we the audience know to be on a murderous rampage.
People are fundamentally bad ever Since the fall of Adam and Eve.
Humanity isn't generally bad, but some people are.
@@Razumen Important to remember we're a social species. We would not have survived and thrived like we have if we were generally antisocial and violent as a species.
The fundamental drive behind the success of the human race has always been our ability for empathy
@@imeantherearethedarktownsy5210 absolutely! Human nature is to care for one another, hatred is a learned behavior!
Javier Bardem's accent makes Anton so much more chilling
I was an EMT years ago and once in a great while we would see someone who's death was clearly imminent and yet by some huge stroke of luck (or divine intervention) they would somehow manage to survive. The coin tosses always made me think of that.
Any time I think of a perfected and completely diabolical psychopath I instantly think of Anton Chigur. He absolutely nailed it. And No Country for Old Men is one of my favorite movies of all time.
I mean he was chosen by clinical psychiatrists to be the most accurate depiction of a psychopath in a piece of media
I love how the brothers masterfully trick you into the idea that Moss is going to some how win in the end because he's "the good guy"..... However, the storyline is really more about Chigurh, HE is the one who will win, and they give you that obvious answer in the very first few shots in the movie. Typically, the first main character you are shown in the movie tends to be THE main character of that story, as well as the "winner" of whatever battle is taking place. While it's Tommy Lee Jones you HEAR first, Anton is the first character you SEE. Moss is killed. The Sheriff retired. Anton escaped and exacted his judgements and payback on everyone who violated his twisted morals. He won.
One of the scenes that left an impression on me was the short scene of Anton driving and he spots a crow, slows and proceeds to take a shot at it. I felt like this was indicative of a being that wanted to destroy all of "Gods" creation. The devil.
Astute! He seems to want to look at symbols of death and intelligence and prove reign. He's shown instead that he too misses, and there are greater forces at play than his own will, no matter how hard he tries to reign supreme.
So, yes, the devil.
Birds can fly away. He can't escape his place so easily and envies the free.
I like to think that in the coin toss scene with the clerk, the line "which it is" in the end tells the clerk not to make anything more of the situation, in an almost subtly threatening, sarcastic way, as if not to push his luck. This conveys that he should be grateful for his opportunity to live, given to him completely by chance - that the coin was only something small, the smallest chance that saved him - as he doesn't realise how lucky he really was. It is just a subtle reminder of the great risk and danger he was in, enhancing the gravity of this scene even further. Telling the viewer not to forget about this danger.
Absolutely stellar explanation. The pace of the video was great and easy to follow, and the breakdown of the scenes and editing made it very digestible. Offering new information as well as foreshadowing amplifies the intensity and meaning of these terrifying scenes. Also, your take on these being "negotiations" really helped me understand the mental state of Anton, and the nature of the interactions. I believe you have a wide array of movies to choose from going forward, and I cant wait to see more if you decide to make more analysis videos like this. Videos like this are what will make your sub count explode. Nice work.
Thanks for the feedback, means a lot. I will certainly be making more analysis videos in the future and I'm always open to film suggestions.
@@sder If I may recommend one, how about the movie called "The House that Jack Built"? It is certainly less concrete, but that might allow for some interesting speculation or analysis. I think that this is a movie where many people would be looking for more answers once the film ends. There are some similarly terrifying aspects that seem to grip people, and I for one would love to see what you would do with this as a topic. Best of luck!
It's amazing that two of my favorite films with completely original bad guys but complicated lovable good guys came out in the same year by the same studio......In Bruges and No Country for Old Men(chefs kiss)!
Easily one of my favorite films. The lack of music, cinematography, muted humor…it’s damn near perfect.
One small thing nobody ever points out about the shot at 11:02 is the fact he aims high and to the right to avoid missing the accountant who is sitting low and to the left. The evidence of this is the fact that he seems to have only hit the side of the dead man's neck. Anton Chigurh fired a scattergun right over the head of another person and didn't so much as graze him with a single piece of shot. Knowing Anton, this was certainly deliberate.
Slugs.
Wrong@@michaelkimbal3262
The Shotgun he is using is definitely loaded with slugs, not buckshot.
@@dexxfilm okay well he still aimed high and to the right, TH-cam comments section.
Nice commentary. I think you could do a decent analysis of the character Frank from the film Blue Velvet. He in a lot of ways represents this hidden evil that could be lurking in small town middle America.
Funny enough I just watched Blue Velvet for the first time a few weeks ago, I’ll definitely consider it.
@@sderThts funny. The candy colored clown they call the sandman scene really haunts me still haha
The coin bullshit is just Anton trying to justify in his head some of his killing.
'oh I'm not such a sociopath, it's the coin, it's chance, it's fate'.
Carla Jean is the only one to see though his mental gymnastics.
He is still a human after all, so needs to create distance in his head so he isn't overwhelmed by all the evil he does.
Think what you want. His consistency....resolve ..will power....tolerance for pain and lack of emotional whims are impressive
The most underrated scene is the one he had with the housing attendent. By her own "ignorance" she didn't take any shit from him and I felt he respected that.
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I agree 100%
"are you deaf " the reaction from him is classic. Lucky lady
I think it was also because someone else was there when the toilet was flushed, so he figured it was unnecessary to kill her as well as anyone else there.
@@1dingerr i don't think he'd care about killing one more person. he's already killing people left and right.
i think Dennis (in the parent comment) is correct - Chigurh respected her for sticking to her code. he lives and breathes by his rules, and here she clearly had a rule that she wouldn't break. also - unlike the gas station attendant - she didn't show any signs of intimidation or evasion.
He did such a good job with this role.
I wonder how many people have honestly felt fear when they meet him.
As much as I know damn well its a movie, and he is an actor, I would still feel uneasy initially if I met him in real life. There would be an unavoidable twinge of primal fear, as if I was being put in a cage with a lion or alligator.
I cannot think of anyone else I can say that about.
It depends who he channels as a normal person. Some people act really normal but give off a terrifying vibe. Some people it's the opposite.
I think the only reason Chigurh spares the kids is for practical reasons: 1) he's badly injured so he might not be able to do quick shots on both targets, 2) he's in what looks like a small suburban area where it's likely more people will be alerted if they hear shots/cries for help, 3) sirens can already be heard so he needs to get away as fast as he can. Avery good movie and excellent portrayal by Bardem, and also a very good video analysis.
The metallic sound right after the coin toss result is like a sigh of relief and tension breaker. Brilliant
Really enjoyed this. If there's one thing I feel I've learned in my half century of living though, it's that death doesn't parlay. Churguh does like to roleplay the middleman or negotiator, but it seems this only ever occurs when it entirely suits him. I didn't feel it was certain that the shopkeeper's fate entirely rested on the coin toss. Rather, that any further interaction would probably get him killed regardless of it. We're all hoping he'll just keep his mouth shut until the bugger leaves. Churguh seems to get off on letting go when the opportunity presents itself, like a cat releasing an injured mouse. The question to the accountant is entirely rhetorical, there is no other logical answer, he has made certain of that.
Excellent video. No Country is one of those movies that I can't help but revisit every so often. Bardem's Chigurh is incredible, but my favorite part of this film has always been Tommy Lee's role as the aging law man, struggling to make sense of all the darkness he's had to bear witness to.
Spot on. Thank you. And the bit about "pandering" - yes. None of the films generally accepted as "great" do it. They're made as art, and the audience may take or leave them, as they also are usually under no mandate to make two billion dollars.
The coen brothers are so clever, i can watch wvery movie they have made several times over and enjoy it and catch something new nearly every time. Fabulous cinema and great video dissecting a masterpiece. New fan made with this video essay
The beauty of his character is you can never tell if he’s being serious or not. It’s logical questions with astronomical consequences. Even now you can’t really tell which way he leaned.
I always interpreted "I got here the same way the coin did" as Anton referring to the duties he carries out being some kind of higher calling. The coin got there not through its will but because it was picked up and carried to that point. Anton got there because moral and philosophical reasons put him in that position. While his morality and philosophy are of his own creation, he sees it as an immutable truth that he doesn't get to decide or influence. From his perspective, he is both just and merciful: following a completely moral life strictly, and showing mercy where he can by offering his potential victims the choice of random chance. The rest of the world just doesn't see things the way Anton does, and it's just a matter of perspective as to who is insane
One of the things that I find so tense about the gas station scene is how vague and accessible the dialogue was, it felt very natural and so the tension felt genuine.
Many of us have had the moment, walking home in the dark and a person calls out "Hey, come here I wanna talk to you" or something to that effect. You feel that dread in your belly and your brain bounces back and forth between "is that person gonna hurt me" and "Im just being silly that would never happen to me". Most of the time we settle on the latter and most of the time it's true.
You can almost see the conflict in the workers head of "is he implying that I'm in danger" and "no that's ridiculous he is just a weird guy", but we as the audience are the one that knows the true danger they are in. It makes you think back to all those tense moments on dark walks home, all of the possible dangers you just brushed away as "silly thoughts".
It would have totally ruined it if he was like "call it or you die" or some dramatic Hollywood rubbish, It would have immediately reminded you that it's a movie and would have renforced that REAL danger always announces itself. But this scene as is really gets under your skin because you never really know.
Chigurhs "well done" is so unenthusiastic, and I love it