Moss, Llewelyn. Played by actor Josh Brolin, Llewelyn Moss is one of the protagonists in the film No Country for Old Men. He is a Vietnam veteran and a native of West Texas near the United States-Mexico border. He is a welder by trade, and lives in a trailer park with his wife Carla Jean. We first see Moss near the beginning of the film, out hunting in the middle of the day. He stumbles upon what looks to be a drug deal gone wrong, finding several dead bodies, a truckload of heroin, and two million dollars in a case, as well as a badly wounded Mexican in need of water. Moss takes the money and heads back to his trailer, where Carla Jean is waiting. He declines to give her any information as to how he came across the money. Later that night he lies awake in bed, considering the wounded man from earlier. He decides to return to the site of the drug deal with a jug of water for the Mexican, but he is spotted by drug dealers who chase after and shoot at him. He escapes, though he is forced to leave his truck near the site in the process. He returns to the trailer late that night and sends Carla Jean to stay with her mother, while he travels elsewhere with the money. From then on, he is pursued by both the Mexican drug dealers and a bounty hunter by the name of Anton Chigurh. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell is also in search of Moss though his intentions are not violent. Chigurh manages to catch up with Moss in a hotel by the border, and the two wound each other, forcing Chigurh to retreat and Moss to seek treatment at a hospital across the border. While in the hospital, he is visited by Carson Wells, another bounty hunter in search of Chigurh. Wells offers help in exchange for the money, but Moss refuses. Wells leaves him with the phone number for his hotel room. Moss calls him that night only to find himself speaking to Chigurh, who has just killed Wells. Chigurh informs him that he is headed to kill his wife, but if he gives him the money he won’t harm her. Moss refuses to accommodate Chigurh, and hangs up the phone. Moss arranges to meet Carla Jean at a motel in El Paso, but the Mexican drug dealers catch up with him before she arrives. Sheriff Bell arrives at the motel to witness the dealers driving off in a hurry, and sees evidence of a gun battle. He finds Moss dead in the hotel room.

            In many ways, Llewelyn Moss fits the description of a Western hero. He is competent in the outdoors an in self-defense. He is clever in his attempts at self-preservation, and is quite cautious and skilled at evading his pursuers. He is very aware of the dangers of the situation he’s in. It is likely that his experiences in Vietnam as well as his upbringing in West Texas are largely responsible for his abilities. Moss is always actively thinking, as evidenced twice by his coming to a revelation while sleepless in his bed. He is calm, and not generally given to emotion. Though he is generally single-minded in his actions, he occasionally appears conflicted when faced choices in certain situations. He initially seems callous and unconcerned when the dying Mexican pleads for water in the desert near the beginning, but after he has had time to consider the matter, he decides to return with water for him. He can be compassionate, but when faced with extenuating circumstances he does not hesitate to do what he needs to do in order to survive. In many ways, Moss is a classic Western figure, interrupted by modern necessity. It is strange, however, given Moss’s characteristics described so far that he takes the case of money in the first place. He certainly knows the kind of people he would be dealing with. It is perhaps discontent that causes Moss to take the money, though it is likely that most people would do the same if faced with the same opportunity. Moss’s confidence could also be a contributor to his decision, as he is certainly sure of himself. He has no doubt in his mind that he will prevail over Chigurh, and that he will be able to protect his wife Carla Jean in addition to himself. He fought in Vietnam, and in his mind he is able to take whatever is thrown at him.

- James Larson