"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.

This movie is shown with many flashbacks. A body is found in the desert of west Texas. Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones) is the ranger who befriends an illegal Mexican cowboy named Melquiades Estrada. Belmont (Dwight Yoakam) is the sheriff in town. Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) is a new border agent. He and his wife Lou Ann (January Jones) buys a trailer and moves into town. Rachel (Melissa Leo) is the married waitress who is sleeping around.

This is written by Guillermo Arriaga who has made a career with stories that goes forward and backwards in time. Tommy Lee Jones keeps the directions simple and lets his actors act. The back and forth in time is complicated enough. There is no need to get too fancy with the direction. It delivers a low level intensity in a desolate place. The movie takes its time. The story is a jigsaw puzzle that takes effort to put together. It slowly dawns on the audience what happened and it's a real moral quagmire. What seems simple at first starts getting more and more complicated. It is quite a piece of work.

In Texas nearby the border of Mexico, the newcomer arrogant border patrolman Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) mistakenly kills the Mexican cowboy Melquiades Estrada (Julio César Cedillo) and buries him in the desert. When Melquiades's body is accidentally found one week later, his best friend, the ranch foreman Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones),claims the body to fulfill his promise and bury Melquiades in his hometown Jimenez and presses the local sheriff Belmont (Dwight Yoakam) to find the killer. However, Melquiades is not delivered to Pete because he is not his relative, and his body is reburied in the local cemetery. When Pete discloses the identity of the killer, he kidnaps Mike and forces him to dig the grave and bring the body to Melquiades's family in Mexico. While in their journey to Mexico, the sad reality of the hopeless Mexicans that live in the proximity of the border with USA is disclosed.

"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" is a weird movie, developed in low pace and non-chronological. It was not clear for me the relationship between the bored Lou Ann Norton, played by the gorgeous January Jones, with Melquiades. Has she become a whore, working in the place owned by Rachel and Bob, or was she only bored looking for fun? The situation of the poor Mexican people living in that no man's land and the stereotypical alienation and arrogance of the border patrolmen are also very impressive. In the end, the loyalty of Pete for his friend Melquiades and the never corny redemption of Mike make this film worthwhile. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Três Enterros" ("Three Burials")