"Brokeback Mountain" and Me

I went to see the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated Brokeback Mountain today.

Am I allowed to say I didn't like it very much?

OK, the scenery was beautiful, even though most of it was filmed in Alberta, Canada and not in Wyoming, U.S. I though Heath Ledger did a fine job, even if he did spend a lot of the time mumbling. I thought the overall portrayal of the love story between the two cowboys was well done.

But overall, I have to say.... Eh. (As in, "Eh, I can take it or leave it.")

Somehow all the nice bits didn't come together, for me, to make a really great film. I think it's a classic example of loads of people telling you what a great movie/book/television show/play it was, only to find the product didn't really reflect the culmulative effect of all those positive reviews.

(On a personal note, I now have seen a nominated Best Supporting Actor for two years running. Last year, I saw Clive Owen (and walked just behind him!) when we went to see "The Producers." I saw Jake Gyllenhaall-- before he was really famous-- in the West End several years ago when he starred in "This is Our Youth.")

I read the original story in the New Yorker and liked it very much, but I'm not sure that they needed to make a movie out of it.