Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Love is a force of nature.
In 1960s Wyoming, two men develop a strong emotional and sexual relationship that endures as a lifelong connection complicating their lives as they get married and start families of their own.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 22 October 2005 |
| Genre | Drama, Romance |
| Director | Ang Lee |
| Starring | Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Williams |
| Runtime | 134 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.2/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 88% · Metacritic 87/100 · IMDb 7.7/10 · TMDB users 7.8/10 |
| Budget | $14 million |
Where to watch Brokeback Mountain
We could not find Brokeback Mountain on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent Brokeback Mountain on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and FlixFling. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Brokeback Mountain in 4 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Austria | Joyn free |
| Canada | Netflix $18.99 CAD, Paramount+ |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900, Watcha |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Ang Lee directs a 134-minute drama about two men whose strong emotional and sexual relationship in 1960s Wyoming endures as a lifelong connection. The film treats their connection not as a scandal to be solved, but as a weather system they cannot control. It is quiet, often painful, and deeply committed to the idea that some things simply happen to people. You do not need to know the ending to understand the weight of the beginning.
What the critics said
The consensus is high. Rotten Tomatoes shows an 88% approval rating as of November 2022, while Metacritic sits at 87/100 as of June 2025. Critics called it a beautifully epic Western with heartbreaking universality. David Ansen of Newsweek praised the close, compassionate observation. He found no self-importance, just a bone-deep feeling for hardscrabble lives. Roger Ebert gave it four stars, comparing its observant character work to Ingmar Bergman. Not everyone agreed. Ed Gonzalez of Slant magazine found the film too long, and a critic from Time felt the intensity faded toward the end.
How it did with audiences
It cost $14 million and grossed $178 million worldwide. That makes it the highest-grossing release for Focus Features. On TMDB, users rate it 7.8 out of 10. IMDb shows a 7.7/10 weighted average as of June 2026. The numbers suggest audiences kept coming back, even after the initial holiday window. A quiet financial hit that outlived its opening weekend.
Awards
Brokeback Mountain won 7 awards from 9 nominations. It took home the Golden Lion in 2005. At the 2006 Academy Awards, Ang Lee won Best Director, Larry McMurtry took Best Adapted Screenplay, and the film secured Best Original Score. It also claimed the 2005 BAFTA for Best Film.
What came next for the cast
Heath Ledger moved from The Patriot to The Dark Knight. Jake Gyllenhaal traded The Day After Tomorrow for Prisoners. Michelle Williams stepped out of Halloween H20. She entered Shutter Island. Anne Hathaway left the Princess Diaries sequels. She arrived at Interstellar. The credits list these titles. They do not prove Brokeback Mountain caused any of it. It merely sits in the middle of the timeline.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Brokeback Mountain.
Sources
- Brokeback Mountain on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q160618 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Brokeback Mountain” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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