2005 Hit Film Ranked Among 'Greatest Romantic Movies of All Time'

Gabriela SilvaFri, April 17, 2026 at 10:34 PM UTC

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Heath Ledger andJake Gyllenhaal captivated both audiences and critics with their powerful performances in the 2005 neo-Western romantic drama. Directed by Ang Lee, the film dominated awards season, earned widespread acclaim, and is now regarded as one of the greatest romantic films ever made.

Brokeback Mountain is based on a short story by Annie Proulx, first published in 1997, which tells the poignant and complex love story at the heart of the film. Ledger and Gyllenhaal played the roles of cowboys, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, as the film follows their story through the American West from 1963 to 1983.

The film starts in Wyoming in 1963 as the two cowboys are hired to herd sheep for the summer on Brokeback Mountain. One night, the two engage in sexual intercourse before parting ways and moving on with their lives, marriages, and families. Over the course of several years, the two men continue to reconnect, forming a complicated bond amid the constraints of their separate lives.

Variety tagged the popular film at No. 8 on their list of the "greatest romantic movies" of all time. They call the film a "breathtaking" adaptation of Proulx's short story and praise Ledger's ability to turn his character into a "living Metaphor for a love that cannot speak its name."

"The film dramatizes how prejudice can worm its way into the very fabric of people’s lives; it also demonstrates that the myth of the straight-as-an-arrow American macho he-man is just that – a myth. At the same time, our yearning for Ennis and Jack to make a life for themselves becomes overwhelming in its heartbreak," they said.

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Brokeback Mountain was a box office success, having made $178 million worldwide against its $14 million budget. While having lost the Oscar for Best Picture, it won for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Original Score. It also won five awards at the Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture- Drama.

Despite its popularity among critics, the film wasn't without its controversy over its LGBTQ storyline. It became the subject of censorship and received criticism from conservative media outlets, as well as losing the Oscar for Best Picture to the 2004 film Crash. Some instead praised the film for its honest portrayal of a same-sex relationship, bringing greater visibility to LGBTQ stories in the mainstream cinema.

The Ledger and Gyllenhaal-led film has since been preserved by the Library of Congress. It has even been recalled by outlets as one of the best films of the 21st century.

This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”