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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

  • 2005
  • R
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
43K
YOUR RATING
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:54
1 Video
99+ Photos
Contemporary WesternAdventureCrimeDramaMysteryWestern

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.

  • Director
    • Tommy Lee Jones
  • Writer
    • Guillermo Arriaga
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Barry Pepper
    • Dwight Yoakam
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    43K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Writer
      • Guillermo Arriaga
    • Stars
      • Tommy Lee Jones
      • Barry Pepper
      • Dwight Yoakam
    • 240User reviews
    • 173Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

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

    Photos150

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    Top cast51

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

    User reviews240

    7.342.6K
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    Featured reviews

    8jotix100

    Dead man riding

    "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" is a surprise. Directed by Tommy Lee Jones, marking his first time behind the camera, with a screen play by Guillermo Arriaga, this is a film that tells a story about an murder in a troubled border area between the US and Mexico. The film is loosely based on a true story that happened in that part of the country some years ago.

    Pete Perkins is a decent man. When his ranch hand is killed under mysterious circumstances, Pete jumps into action. Pete wants to take his friend, Melquiades Estrada, across the border to Mexico to make sure he receives the proper burial he deserves. A coyote has lead to the first burial site and the following investigation involves the local sheriff, Belmont, but Pete will have none of that.

    Pete's investigation leads him to the corrupt border guard Mike Norton. Perkins captures the man and with the body strapped to a horse and his captive in another, Pete begins the long journey to Mexico. He passes the hot land between the two countries in a voyage that will bring Melquiades to his home.

    The separate narratives at the beginning of the film are somehow confusing and the viewer is advised to pay close attention to it since it has multiple stories going on at a time when we don't know much of what is happening. We get to meet the cruel Norton and his bored wife Lou Ann. It also serve as the way to tell us how Pete and Norton meet.

    Tommy Lee Jones, with his rugged looks, brings a tremendous presence to his own film. Mr. Jones is a decent man who can't stand the injustice his hired hand suffered as he delves into solving the mystery of Melquiades' death. Barry Pepper is quite good as the nasty Mike Norton, a man who gets much more than what he bargained for. Dwight Yoakam, January Jones and Melissa Leo are seen in minor roles. Julio Cedillo plays the dead man, Melquiades Estrada.

    Tommy Lee Jones is blessed to be working on his first venture with the great cinematographer Chris Menges. Mr. Menges' take on the scenery is one of the best things in the film. The musical score by Marco Beltrami is also another asset. The editing of Roberto Silvi sets the tone for the early part of the movie.

    "The Three Deaths of Melquiades Estrada" shows us a mature Tommy Lee Jones who has learned his lesson well in front of the camera. Now, working behind, as well as directing himself and his amazing cast, he shows a humongous talent that ought to be seen in future ventures.
    8Malte006

    - Strong piece of work from Tommy Lee Jones..

    The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

    Directed by Tommy Lee Jones (2005)

    I have always liked Tommy Lee Jones as an actor. He has made some really great performances in the movies JFK, Heaven & Earth, and The Fugitive. And otherwise he has always been good, although he got some typecast in some stereotype roles. In 1995 he debuted as a director on TV, with the movie The Good Old Boys, which I sadly haven't seen. Now, he has joined some of his famous and acknowledged colleges like Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Denzel Washington, and made the step from actor, to actor & director in his own very first motion picture - The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

    In this movie, Tommy plays the lead as Pete Perkins, who under some mysterious circumstances, finds out that his best friend has got killed. As a consequence of this, he reacts strong and dramatically, wanting to fulfil his old promise to his, now gone, friend.

    The script is written by Guillermo Arriaga, and he mixes the characters and the beautiful landscape into an original story, dealing with many subjects. As said before, the movie is beautifully filmed and good edited. Aside from the director, the shooting star – Barry Pepper – delivers another very good and solid performance! He is a very good actor, which I hope to see a lot from in the future…

    All in all a solid, and good piece of movie craft from Tommy Lee Jones, which I know respect more than ever!

    8/10
    gtzam

    Powerful and moving modern western

    The "Three burials of Melquiades Estrada" is a multi-layered story of death, retribution, loneliness, and remembrance. Although it takes place in modern day Texas, its main character Pete Perkins, superbly played by Tommy Lee Jones, seems to be living resolutely in the past. He is determined to seek justice for his best friend's death and forces the guy responsible for to a journey across the borders in Mexico to locate the village of the deceased for a proper burial. This journey will bring forward the stark contrast between the values of two ways of life and the landscape transversed is both geographical and emotional.

    Modern civilization throughout the film is mainly represented by 4WD cars, sniper rifles, dinners, shopping malls, trailers, and TV-sets incessantly showing soap operas, while the characters revelling into those manifestations are invariably emotionally numb, disaffected people, trapped to a perfunctory life from which they seem unable or unwilling to escape. Concomitantly the values of the old west, based on friendship, loyalty and commitment have ebbed, though they are still existent as embodied by the relationship of Pete with his best friend. Pete is forced to pursue his own sense of justice after being repeatedly scorned by the contemptuous behavior of the authorities towards him and his demand for rightful punishment of the culprit, a cool, violence prone and emotionally detached border-guard.

    The story is masterly told in a sturdy manner that perfectly serves the complexity of the excellent screenplay by an apposite use of flashbacks and wonderfully shot sequences. All the performances are top notch in their expressive minimalism, greatly contributing to the lasting emotional impact of this outstanding film.
    8gramos30

    Tommy lee Jones 👍🏼👍🏼

    As a Mexican American myself and with Spanish being my first language , I hate when they portray Mexicans or any Hispanics for that matter , with phony accents that I just don't buy. Most of the times I'm irritated to the point I can't enjoy the movie. IN THIS INSTANCE HOWEVER , I was highly impressed with the whole cast, especially Tommy lee Jones's Spanish . INCREDIBLE!! I always saw him as a respectable actor , but he truly won me over with his performance in this movie . Also the plot twists thru out the whole movie are intriguing . This is a movie well worth watching !
    8IAN-Cinemaniac

    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.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The screenplay was written in Spanish by Guillermo Arriaga but was translated in to English by Tommy Lee Jones.
    • 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 Siskel & Ebert: 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

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    FAQ19

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    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
      • Los tres entierros de 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

    Tech specs

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

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