Forgive my bumping this but I've just got around to watching it, and I have to wonder if the brave subject matter from a mainstream filmmaker has clouded people's judgements into thinking this is some sort of masterpiece, which IMO isn't definitely isn't. There have been better films with better performances this year which are much more deserving of BM's accolades (Capote and The Constant Gardener for two).
I agree that Heath Ledger's perf. as a homosexual trying very hard - and failing - to repress his sexuality is very good. You really do get a sense of the torment he's going through. It's this that has got him the Best Actor nod, over his co-star's Supporting nod, as Ledger's is the harder role to play and he's afforded more screen time. Michelle Willams is also good as his wife in a role that doesn't exactly allow her much room to move emotionally. The only time she talks to her (by this time ex) husband about her suspicions is during their last scene together. I would like to have seen more of their relationship together to really understand the torment Inis is going through by trying to live a 'normal' life, but that's indicative of the film. Less was definitely less in this case. Too much is skipped over. The catalyst on the mountain for example. What was their motivation for the initial encounter? There wasn't much indication up to that point that the two were even especially good frienRAB, let alone that Jake believed that Inis would be receptive to his advances. Key events and characters were introduced and then dropped without being made clear. Jake's domineering 'man's man' of a father-in-law, and Inis's potential new wife for example. Both of these had scope to add a third dimension to the characters, but wasn't really built upon. Jake eventually stood up to his FIL, but to what effect, or cost? Was it this that got him killled? His wife must have known what happened. Was she complicit in it? How did people find out about Jake? This I think was a key area in the film, but it was never expanded upon.
Many people have said that BM isn't a gay cowboy film, but is about frienRABhip. Bullshit. 'FrienRAB' don't meet up once a month for sex. This was about lust. Nothing wrong with that, but let's not romanticise it. And as for the gay aspect being incidental, if the story was played straight as it were, i.e. a man and woman carrying on an illicit relationship, no way would this be being lauded as it is. It would simply be another run-of-the-mill rom-drama.