The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada Image
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Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakam, January Jones, Julio Cedillo, Tommy Lee Jones
  • Summary: 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. Peter Perkins (Jones), 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. (Sony Pictures Classics)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 35
  3. Negative: 2 out of 35
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    In an era when hundreds of lives are casually destroyed in action movies, here is an entire film in which one life is honored, and one death is avenged.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    80
    Jones displays a firm hand at the helm -- you sense that he is well within his comfort zone in this environment -- and performances including his own are lively and convincing.
  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: Stephen Metcalf
    60
    For a movie about the policing of borders, couldn't this one have policed a firmer one, between credibility and incredibility? Between seriousness and self-seriousness?
  4. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    38
    Oh no, another let's-drag-a-dead-body-to-Mexico flick?

See all 35 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 45
  3. Negative: 7 out of 45
  1. ShawnO.
    10
    Some of these critics don't know what they are talking about. Not every movie can be a fast paced, violent, shootem up, phony movie, this one was beautiful, period.… Expand
  2. giulia
    8
    I liked that movie. Yes there are some sterotypes. But it doesnt matter to me. It has a lot of charme. But hey I also loved Amorres Perros.
  3. ChristianW.
    5
    After reading gushing reviews for this film I was disappointed and, frankly, bored as this surprisingly shallow modern western meandered to a conclusion that had me asking "is that it?". Good points were Dwight Yoakam's acting, though his character exited too early, and the films dark and slightly surreal atmosphere. Bad aspects include its slow pace, irrelevant encounters, hard to swallow coincidences, Tommy Lee Jones' unconvincing character and lack of expression, loose ends and stereotyped characters. Some of the scenes with the corpse made me wonder ifI was watching the third "Weekend at Bernies" installment by mistake.… Expand
  4. ToddO.
    2
    I have no idea what the fuss is over this movie. The "77" rating is hilarious. THis movie was so Boring and made no sense or had any purpose.The only reason I didnt turn it off was I was think that the good rating had some great scence that I didnt want to miss...I was wrong. IF you like Ghandi's pace you will love this horrible film.… Expand

See all 45 User Reviews

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