"An achingly sad tale of two damaged souls" says Daily Variety, "this ostensible gay Western is marked by a heightened degree of sensitivity and tact, as well as by an outstanding performance from Heath Ledger."

Reuters's Ray Bennett writes in his review of the film, "Anne Proulx's 1997 short story in the New Yorker has been masterfully expanded by screenwriters Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana to provide director Lee with his best movie since Sense and Sensibility in 1995."

A Telluride festival-goer gave the film a big thumbs up on an IndieWIRE blog, commenting that "many people (gay, straight, male, female) seem so moved by this poignant love story."

Ledger's performance in the film is being particularly heralded. Australian newspaper The Sun-Herald said "Heath Ledger's role as a gay cowboy has stunned critics at the Venice Film Festival, with the Australian actor being tipped for a major award." The reporter went on to say, "The emotional force of the gay love story in Brokeback Mountain was so strong that critics, including Australia's Margaret Pomeranz, were shell-shocked after the Venice screening of the film, which also stars Jake Gyllenhaal."

Those involved with making the film had much to say at the Venice festival on Friday. While Gyllenhaal and Ledger have previously taken a "so what?" attitude to the film's homosexuality, they did acknowledge a bit of discomfort at the love scenes. “I was really lucky that my character was uncomfortable with it and knew it too," Ledger told reporters, "so I could use my own level of discomfort, because it was new and strange for me, and that worked for me."

Gyllenhaal commented, “I just knew that the theme of sexuality would be secondary and that the primary theme would be that of love ... the real idea of love, not cliche. I knew Ang would protect us."

The film's universal themes was repeatedly touched on. "I just wanted to make a love story," Lee told reporters. "What's important is that the material touches me at a gut level and I connect with it." Producer James Shamus said, "We are using the codes and conventions of romance that have always applied to straight people very unapologetically. We don't care if anyone is upset about it."

So far, it looks like audiences are indeed responding to Brokeback's universal themes. This is no small accomplishment given that there hasn't been a gay romance played by such prominent male actors since, well, ever. Let alone a gay western. "What was difficult was pulling down people's preconceptions of the American West," acknowledged Lee at the festival, "preconceptions that were created by movies."

For all the descriptions of Brokeback Mountain as a "gay cowboy movie," however, the film is actually more difficult to categorize than that, which adds to its appeal. As a New York Times article on Ang Lee and Brokeback Mountain notes, "Part of the story's power is the way the men's need for each other slips the bonds of definition, of categories. That's what makes it feel so elemental. You recognize the truth and the mystery of their experience."

You can glimpse the truth and mystery yourself when Brokeback Mountain opens in limited released on December 9th, 2005, and in wider release in January 2006.

Visit our new Brokeback Mountain section for more information