evin Lally of
Film Journal International praises the acting of
Brokeback Mountain's principal cast:
"Following his strong performances in
Monster's Ball and the underrated
Ned Kelly,
Brokeback Mountain makes it clear that Heath Ledger is one of the most gifted young actors in movies today. He burrows into the pain, repression and red-hot longing of Ennis with a brilliantly modulated performance that's never showy and always nakedly vulnerable. As the less complex and emotionally scarred Jack, Gyllenhaal has the secondary role, but he fully embodies the character envisioned by Proulx and, like Ledger, commits to this gay character without a trace of self-consciousness. Williams, formerly of
Dawson's Creek, is terrifically poignant as Ennis' deceived, neglected wife, and onetime Disney royal Hathaway is perfectly cast as a pampered
princess of the Texas kind. Randy Quaid is also a hoot as the mercenary, none-too-friendly rancher who first hires the boys."