Erm, I meant "crusty" in the other sense of the word. That is, I could see the make-up crusted around his eyes. I do think he should've looked older and worn and crusty in the less literal sense of the word, but when I can differentiate the make-up from the flesh it's not of the good.

gays feel the problems depicted are societal in nature, straight (usually) women find it's Ennis himself that's the cause.

That's interesting! I definitely think it's a combination, also. To say all the problems there are just Ennis's fault is to miss a big point--pretty much the point of the movie. That is, Jack didn't have Ennis's problems of connecting with others, and what did he get? Killed. But because Ennis is already reserved and introverted, society's behavior towards homosexuals serves to make him downright paralyzed. Society forced a kind of . . . I want to say unnatural kind suppression onto one that was already, in some ways, naturally repressed.

And definitely that's what makes it universal. I expected to see about individuals vs. society--and it was that. And I can relate to that, even though I'm not gay. But it was also the individual vs. himself--and it was that, the fear, the not connecting, the inability to reach out and communicate--which I could relate to most.

I'm not sure about the last line being an oath he loves Jack. I don't think that's something he ever needed to say. But I love how it's just . .. there. We can interpret it any way we want to. And the short story is like that too, which pleases me immensely (I've read it now!)