A beloved Heath Ledger film, hailed by fans as his finest performance, is leaving Prime Video this month.
Brokeback Mountain, which premiered in 2005, will mark its 20th anniversary this December. The drama is among Ledger’s most acclaimed roles, with many fans contending that he deserved an Oscar for his portrayal.
Adapted from Annie Proulx’s eponymous short story, the narrative centres on American cowboys Jack (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Ledger), who develop a romantic relationship while working together in the Wyoming mountains.
Their love story becomes complicated when they each marry their respective girlfriends, yet they maintain their passionate affair over two decades.
Helmed by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain is streaming on Prime Video until Saturday, 17th May.
Ledger, who passed away in January 2008, shares the screen with Jake Gyllenhaal, his on-screen lover. They are joined by five-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams and Academy Award-winner Anne Hathaway.
Despite being released twenty years ago, the film continues to be celebrated. Focus Features, the film’s distributor, recently revealed plans to bring the iconic queer romance drama back to US theatres this summer, in commemoration of its upcoming anniversary.
The adoration for this cinematic gem is longstanding; the early 2000s film garnered eight Oscar nominations when it debuted, securing three wins.
Both Ledger and Gyllenhaal were honoured with nominations for Best Actor and Supporting Actor awards, but neither clinched the trophy.
Ledger’s snub of Ledger particularly sparked outrage among his fans, who believed he deserved the Oscar.
However, his loss did not diminish from viewers’ praise. A recent IMDb review highlighted Ledger’s standout performance: “Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and the magnificent Michelle Williams give superb performances but it’s Heath Ledger’s film.
“He gives us something that nobody could possibly have expected because what he gives us is not only, honest and moving and powerful but totally and utterly new.”
Praise also poured in from another fan on social media who implied that the entire cast brought this ‘masterpiece’ to life.
“Best film starring Heath Ledger? Brokeback Mountain. Best film starring Anne Hathaway? Brokeback Mountain. Best film starring Jake Gyllenhaal? Brokeback Mountain. Best film starring Michelle Williams? Brokeback Mountain. What a timeless masterpiece,” they penned.
Another admirer declared the movie as “one of the best love stories ever.”
While yet another shared their heartfelt reaction: “I am incredibly broken by this movie.
“It’s so emotionally moving. I am probably the last person in the world who didn’t watch it until now, and oh, I have been missing a masterpiece. I cried like a baby.”
Brokeback Mountain is streaming now on Prime Video.