is it me or Javier Bardem was pretty unknown until recently?

He has the Downey Jr look

The average filmgoer probably wouldn't know Javier Bardem. He has mostly acted in Spanish movies like The Sea Inside and Before Night Falls. He has had a couple of minor roles in other movies too, though, like as Tom Cruise's boss in Collateral.

oh shit, it is the same dude from Sea Inside? ha! I was suspecting it, but was somehow denying it

Bardem was nominated for an Oscar a few years ago, I think he's pretty big in Spanish cinema. This was my introduction to him though. I've been looking forward to this film for a very long time, and I've been a big fan of the Coen's movies for a while. I was so angry when I found out that it wasn't playing anywhere in my city, and actually travelled to another city to go see it. It was completely worth it, No Country For Old Men is incredible. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brodin, Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald (!!) were all fantastic, but my hat really goes off to Javier Bardem, and I think his Chighur was one of the most terrifying characters I've ever met in a film. The Coens really outdid themselves as well, making Fargo (which just last week I would have said was my favourite of their films) look like a kid's movie. This was gritty, harsh, beautiful and perhaps most notable for a Coen film made unbelievable use of silence. I thought it was by far the best film to come out of 2007, of the ones that I've seen and amongst the best films to be released in the last few years. The only thing is, I'm desperate to see it again, but can't quite justify travelling to another city again for a repeat viewing.