The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

R

2005

2h 1m

Adventure

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

148 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican hometown. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico. As Estrada's body begins to rot, Norton begins to unravel, but Perkins remains determined to honor his vow.

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Critics Consensus

Tommy Lee Jones' directorial debut is both a potent western and a powerful morality tale.

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Oct 7, 2018

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada has the grandeur of a morality drama enriched with the impassioned bewilderment of true tragedy.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Nov 1, 2007

As an actor Tommy Lee Jones rarely makes a false move. A master of understatement, he conveys a sense of enormous power held in check. The same could be said of his first feature as a director, Three Burials.

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Nev Pierce

BBC.com

Mar 21, 2006

4/5

This gripping film about real people is well-worth excavating.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 26, 2020

3.5/4.0

A contemplation film that begs to be chewed up, spit out, processed, talked about, and felt deeply.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Jul 25, 2020

5/10

It's a neo-western so predictable and so flat, that I know almost everything that happens by heart. [Full review in Spanish]

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Chris McCoy

Memphis Flyer

Jan 8, 2020

Arriaga's wry fatalism is strangely satisfying, and his screenplay provides the backbone for great performances by the principal cast.

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Dominic B

@RT83360345 Oct 2, 2026

Interesting movie, in parts realistic, bleak, lyrical, weird and even grotesque. It's very atmospheric with a great score, and Tommy Lee Jones is excellent. Sometimes he plays it like the nice granddad, othertimes mucho aggressive and violent. January Jones and Melissa Leo are excellent in their roles as the women in this godforsaken border region who have to cut out a role for themselves and either cut it or not.

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 Aug 12, 2026

An excellent modern day Western with some old skool moral undertones, a bit of mystery and a moving friendship. Really good stuff. Watched on DVD.

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Dominique E.

@encisonico Jun 17, 2026

A nice moral filled but unsolved tragedy starring Tommy Lee Jones

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Jeffrey P

@vanillavoodoo1 Mar 21, 2026

Well performed and excels at being what it is - an unconventional western.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 22, 2025

Success in 2 hours and 1 minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Sexuality, Language and Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $5,000,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy 20th anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 May 25, 2025

A gritty and emotional film.

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Tommy Lee Jones

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Pete Perkins

Barry Pepper

Mike Norton

Julio Cedillo

Melquiades Estrada

Dwight Yoakam

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January Jones

Lou Ann Norton

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Synopsis

When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican hometown. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico. As Estrada's body begins to rot, Norton begins to unravel, but Perkins remains determined to honor his vow.

Director: Tommy Lee Jones
Producer: Michael Fitzgerald, Luc Besson, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, Tommy Lee Jones
Screenwriter: Guillermo Arriaga
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: EuropaCorp
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Violence)
Genre: Adventure, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 19, 2005, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 14, 2005
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.0M
Runtime: 2h 1m

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