Overview
A poignant tale of love that defies societal norms and expectations.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- melancholic
- tender
- restrained
- quiet evening
- romantic drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a beautifully crafted and deeply moving queer western romance, led by precise performances from Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ennis and Jack sustain a secret relationship while conforming outwardly to heterosexual marriage and rural masculinity.
The open Wyoming mountain and rural vistas oppose cramped homes, workplaces, and closeted lives.
Ennis’s reserve and Jack’s frustrated demands for a shared life reveal the costs of cowboy ideals and emotional repression.
Fear of exposure and the remembered consequences of anti-gay violence govern the men’s choices across decades.
Films like Brokeback Mountain, and why
Carol
forbidden queer romance, restrained period drama, and emotionally devastating performances
A Single Man
secret same-sex love, social repression, and intimate character-focused tragedy
The Power of the Dog
western landscapes, masculine vulnerability, and a doomed love story shaped by social intolerance
Far from Heaven
closeted desire, marital constraint, and melancholic mid-century romantic drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Ang Lee
- Release Date
- 2005-10-22
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (7748)
Cast
- Heath Ledger
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Michelle Williams
- Anne Hathaway
- Randy Quaid
- Linda Cardellini
- Anna Faris
- David Harbour
- Roberta Maxwell
- Kate Mara
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Brokeback Mountain about?
- Across two decades of marriages, distance, and social hostility, two Wyoming cowboys struggle to preserve a love they cannot safely live in public.
- What is Brokeback Mountain like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Brokeback Mountain as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Brokeback Mountain violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Brokeback Mountain as moderate.
- What did critics think of Brokeback Mountain?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a beautifully crafted and deeply moving queer western romance, led by precise performances from Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
- Which films are like Brokeback Mountain?
- Films with a similar feel include Carol, A Single Man, The Power of the Dog, and Far from Heaven.
- How long is Brokeback Mountain?
- Brokeback Mountain runs 134 minutes.
- Where can I watch Brokeback Mountain?
- In United States, Brokeback Mountain is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling.
