'It's no one's business but ours.'

Claustrophobia creeps into the breathtaking picturesque in Ang Lee's love epic 'Brokeback Mountain'.

Against the beautiful background lies a heartbreaking tale of forbidden love, betrayal, pain and loneliness.


Cowboys Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhal) spent one summer herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain. (Useless FYI: the sheeps were mainly CGI-ed, according to a friend.) One night, in the biting cold, they found refuge in each other, a gentle gesture that immediately escalated into a passionate romp. "I ain't queer," mumbled Ennis, and Jack replied, "Neither am I."

However their passion continued, and once it exploded into a bloodied rumble.

Summer ended early and both parted into their seperate ways, torn. Ennis marries his girlfriend Alma (an excellent Michelle Williams) and had two daughters. Jack meets rodeo queen Laureen (Anne Hathaway), marries and had a boy. Four years later, Jack sent a postcard to Ennis, wanting to pay a visit. They finally met, and unable to control the strain of the long absence, locked into a tight embrace. Alma witnessed it, the anguish on her face made it so painful to watch.

So began their 20 years affair where they meet twice yearly for 'fishing trips' at Brokeback Mountain.

There were scenes where I choked, like when Alma's silent burst of tears as Ennis walked out of the house and of her. Or when the stoic Ennis embraced what was remained of the love of his life. It's unfair to the people behind this film to dismiss it as 'that gay cowboy movie' just because it is mainstream. It is a classic love story, in the same league some of our generation's best; as majestic as Titanic, or like in The Butterfly Lovers. (They are my favourite over-the-top romance films. Yes. Even that ship movie.) The obstacle remains the same - this judgemental society that dictates who you should love, divided by class, castes, education levels, jobs, race, religion, sex.

It is heartbreaking, for this is a love that can never be heard. But who needs that, and for other people to accept them, if all they need is themselves?