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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

  • 20052005
  • RR
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
40K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, January Jones, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Melissa Leo, and Dwight Yoakam in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:54
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Crime
  • Drama

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

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
40K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Tommy Lee Jones
  • Writer
    • Guillermo Arriaga
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Barry Pepper
    • Dwight Yoakam
Top credits
  • Director
    • Tommy Lee Jones
  • Writer
    • Guillermo Arriaga
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Barry Pepper
    • Dwight Yoakam
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 232User reviews
    • 167Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos1

    Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
    Trailer 1:54
    Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

    Photos147

    Tommy Lee Jones and Barry Pepper in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones and Vanessa Bauche in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Melissa Leo in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
    Levon Helm in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tommy Lee Jones
    Tommy Lee Jones
    • Pete Perkinsas Pete Perkins
    Barry Pepper
    Barry Pepper
    • Mike Nortonas Mike Norton
    Dwight Yoakam
    Dwight Yoakam
    • Belmontas Belmont
    January Jones
    January Jones
    • Lou Ann Nortonas Lou Ann Norton
    Julio Cesar Cedillo
    Julio Cesar Cedillo
    • Melquiades Estradaas Melquiades Estrada
    • (as Julio César Cedillo)
    Melissa Leo
    Melissa Leo
    • Rachelas Rachel
    Levon Helm
    Levon Helm
    • Old Man with Radioas Old Man with Radio
    Mel Rodriguez
    Mel Rodriguez
    • Captain Gomezas Captain Gomez
    Cecilia Suárez
    Cecilia Suárez
    • Rosaas Rosa
    Ignacio Guadalupe
    Ignacio Guadalupe
    • Lucioas Lucio
    Vanessa Bauche
    Vanessa Bauche
    • Marianaas Mariana
    Irineo Alvarez
    • Manuelas Manuel
    • (as Irineo Álvarez)
    Guillermo Arriaga
    Guillermo Arriaga
    • Juanas Juan
    Josh Berry
    Josh Berry
    • Border Patrolmanas Border Patrolman
    Rodger Boyce
    Rodger Boyce
    • Salesmanas Salesman
    Edwin 'Bubba' Broussard
    • Bubbaas Bubba
    René Campero
    • Don Casimiroas Don Casimiro
    Lupe Campos
    • Sands Guy #2as Sands Guy #2
    • Director
      • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Writer
      • Guillermo Arriaga
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    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. —Anonymous
    • female nudity
    • border
    • u.s. border patrol
    • buying a house
    • handcuffed
    • 247 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Nobody is beyond redemption.
    • Genres
      • Adventure
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
      • Western
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language, violence and sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Much of the movie was shot on Tommy Lee Jones's own ranch.
    • Goofs
      When Pete and Mike are in the ruins at Jiminez, a crew member can be clearly seen crouching in a corner as the camera pans past him.
    • Quotes

      Melquiades Estrada: Promise me one thing, Pete. If I die over here, carry me back to my family and bury me in my home town. I don't want to be buried on this side among all the fucking billboards.

    • Crazy credits
      The title of the film and the various title cards are in both English and Spanish.
    • 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)
    • Soundtracks
      9 Million Pictures
      Written by Augie Meyers

      Performed by Augie Meyers

      © Brujo Music, Administered Worldwide by Bug Music Inc.

      Courtesy of French Fried Music

      Courtesy of Brujo Music

    User reviews232

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Sad and sometimes quirky journey about friendship, loss and regret
    I just had the pleasure of seeing this wholly original modern-day American western. Just when you think you have this film's plot pigeon holed it takes you in a different direction. THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA is in part a revenge story, but it's also much more than that. There are no one dimensional characters. As much as you want to hate Barry Pepper's numbed border patrol officer, you can't help but feel sorry for him. And Tommy Lee Jones' Pete will break your heart. He and Pepper have never been better and Jones' direction is natural and subtle. My only problem with the film was sometimes it got a little too quirky for its own good. But for the most part I believed every moment and really cared for these lost characters. It's one of those films that really leaves you thinking about a lot of stuff, from mortality and loss to the very real problems of racism and inhumanity. It's never preachy or self aware and isn't out to impress, it's just telling a story. I highly recommend this movie. It's by far one of the best films I've seen recently.
    helpful•205
    25
    • IAN-Cinemaniac
    • Nov 1, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 24, 2006 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Classics (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • The 3 Burials of Melquiades Estrada
    • Filming locations
      • Van Horn, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • EuropaCorp
      • The Javelina Film Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,027,684
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $23,859
      • Dec 18, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,045,362
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, January Jones, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Melissa Leo, and Dwight Yoakam in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
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