Javier Bardem’s Terrifying Western Stalks a Free Streaming Home

The Western genre received one of its most intriguing and visually stunning modernizations in Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men. The 2007 film perfectly pulled together everything that makes a great Western tick, including its character-driven plot, its larger-than-life villain, and its protagonist who is completely up against the odds and absolutely flipped it on its head. While performances from Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, and Tommy Lee Jones drives the storyline forward, it’s a completely off-the-rails role of a lifetime from Javier Bardem as the aforementioned larger-than-life villain, Anton Chigurh, that cements this one as one of the best from the filmmaking siblings. Now, with the holidays fast approaching and some extra rest and relaxation around the corner, you can watch the film free of charge, as No Country for Old Men is available to stream on Pluto TV.

The movie, which is based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel, follows one man chasing another who is chasing another who is just trying to take some money he found in the middle of the desert and get away with it. Set in the desolate surroundings of West Texas in the 1980s, audiences are introduced to Llewelyn Moss (Brolin), a war veteran and blue-collar man who happens upon a magnificent sum of money while out hunting in the desert one day. Upon discovering that the cash has fallen into other hands, hitman Anton Chigurh (Bardem), sets out on a murder-filled mission to return the sum to the right hands, while Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones) is not only trying to hunt down the money, but also the man responsible for a string of killings that seem to be following the financial footprint.

What makes Bardem’s character so vicious and frightening is that he isn’t your run-of-the-mill cinematic hitman. Yes, he’s interested in getting the job done and finding the man who ran off with his employer’s money, but he’s also not playing fair when it comes to who gets the ax by inadvertently standing in his way. Throughout the feature, Anton seems to pick who lives and who dies on a whim — or a coin toss in some cases — with numerous side characters losing their lives courtesy of the villain’s captive bolt pistol, which is an absolutely chilling and crazy way to go out.

‘No Country for Old Men’s Oscar Sweep

We aren’t the only ones who think that Bardem’s performance in the Coen brothers’ 2007 crime drama is one of the best of his career, as he took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at that year’s event. Additionally, the title won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay after nabbing eight nominations total.

Head over to Pluto TV now to stream No Country for Old Men.