The Sunset Limited

Tommy Lee Jones masterfully directs Cormac McCarthy's ferocious two-man play.

Grim, but a chance to see two magnificent actors at the peak of their powers.

There are times when the sheer force of Jones' personality undercuts his ability to be convincing as the voice of existential despair. But at the end, when he throws that force behind his final assault, his performance all makes sense. And it makes the final scenes, as Jackson's ebulliently portrayed confidence begins to crack, all the more shattering.

HBO's The Sunset Limited--faithfully adapted from Cormac McCarthy's 2006 play and directed by its co-star, Tommy Lee Jones--more than overcomes the challenge of getting a satisfying piece of theater to work on a TV screen.

Sunset Limited requires considerable engagement, an assignment made easier by the superb performances of Jackson and Jones. Their verbal sparring may not be a reason to live, but it's sure a good reason to watch this production.

Viewers turned off by the bitterly boisterous, superficial and often one-sided confrontations on the cable news channels might find The Sunset Limited to be refreshing in some ways.

"Thought-provoking" is an overused term in criticism, and one that can camouflage many sins. But here, for better and worse, is the real deal.