No Country for Old Men poster
No Country for Old Men

Apex Mountain

The Coen brothers’ picture/director win and Javier Bardem’s iconic Chigurh make this a plausible apex for both; Brolin’s later franchise fame complicates his case.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:44Read transcript
  • Brolin’s career changes immediately, though Avengers later gives him wider popularity and Milk gives another Oscar peak.
  • The Coens are placed at or near their summit because the film wins their major Oscars without preceding an artistic decline.
  • Bardem’s identifiable villain and Oscar compete with Skyfall as his popular apex, while the panel emphasizes his sustained excellence.