The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Ranch foreman Pete Perkins looks to fulfill the promise to his recently deceased best friend by burying him in his hometown in Mexico.

Director:

Tommy Lee Jones

Writer:

Guillermo Arriaga

Stars:

Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakam

5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Pete Perkins
Barry Pepper	...	Mike Norton
Julio Cesar Cedillo	...	Melquiades Estrada (as Julio César Cedillo)
Dwight Yoakam	...	Belmont
January Jones	...	Lou Ann Norton
Melissa Leo	...	Rachel
Levon Helm	...	Old Man with Radio
Mel Rodriguez	...	Captain Gomez
Cecilia Suárez	...	Rosa
Ignacio Guadalupe	...	Lucio
Vanessa Bauche	...	Mariana
Irineo Alvarez	...	Manuel (as Irineo Álvarez)
Guillermo Arriaga	...	Juan
Josh Berry	...	Border Patrolman
Rodger Boyce	...	Salesman

Storyline

A man is shot and quickly buried in the high desert of west Texas. The body is found and reburied in Van Horn's town cemetery. Pete Perkins, a local ranch foreman, kidnaps a Border Patrolman and forces him to disinter the body. With his captive in tow and the body tied to a mule, Pete undertakes a dangerous and quixotic journey into Mexico.

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | border | u.s. border patrol | buying a house | handcuffed | 

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Taglines:

For justice. For loyalty. For friendship.

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violence and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Barry Pepper's character Mike Norton reads the April 2004 issue of Hustler repeatedly when he's out on patrol.

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Goofs

The alcohol given to Mike Norton by the Mexican bear hunters is caramel colored. Later, after the third burial, the alcohol is now dark brown.

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Quotes

Mike Norton: [reassuring Lou Ann] You're my red hot mamma...

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Crazy Credits

The title of the film and the various title cards are in both English and Spanish.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Glory Road/Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World/The Three Burials of Melquides Estrada/Bubble/Why We Fight/Tristan & Isolde (2006)

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Soundtracks

You Can't Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd
(1966)
Written by Roger Miller
Performed by Roger Miller
© Tree International, Administered by Warner Chappell Music
(P) 1966 Mercury Nashville Records
Courtesy of Universal Music Special Projects

User Reviews

Flawless

This movie not only has some of the best acting I've seen in a while; but also it features a full cast of interesting characters - from the protagonists to random encounters, each one seems... to exist somewhere beyond the screen. Top notch photography, emotionally wrenching, dealing with complex issues of today's society and depicting everything unashamedly, this movie is simply awesome. Every little detail seems to have been worked at, pondered over and hammered out until it was just perfect. Every single character is memorable. Every single shot is beautiful. I could simply find no flaws with it.

While some may find the subject of the movie distasteful, I found the manner in which it is approached to be just perfect. There are of course clichés - these are inevitable. But the attention to detail brings this movie to such heights of perfection that you cannot help but twist your face into a satisfying grin while the movie is on, and for much time afterwards.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Classics [United States]

Country:

France Mexico USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

24 February 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

The 3 Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Filming Locations:

Shafter, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$23,859, 18 December 2005

Gross USA:

$5,027,684

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,045,362

Company Credits

Production Co:

EuropaCorp, The Javelina Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min 107 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1