No Country for Old Men - Characters & Cast

Chigurh's motivation is not simple greed; he is hired to retrieve the money and does so with relentless dedication. However, his primary driver appears to be an adherence to his own bizarre principles and a philosophical compulsion to act as an agent of fate. He believes that his actions are the logical conclusion of the choices others have made, making him an arbiter of consequence rather than a simple hitman. As Carson Wells says, he has "principles that transcend money or drugs or anything like that."

Anton Chigurh is a static character who does not change. He is presented as an implacable force of nature, an embodiment of violence and fate. His purpose is not to grow but to act as a catalyst for change and destruction in the lives of others. Throughout the film, he remains a consistent, terrifying presence, operating by a rigid and inscrutable personal code that transcends money or traditional morality. He begins and ends the film as a mysterious, seemingly invincible agent of chaos.

Moss's primary motivation is to escape his blue-collar life and provide a better future for himself and his wife, Carla Jean, with the stolen money. He is driven by a stubborn belief in his own ability to outwit his opponents and handle the dangerous situation he has created. Despite the escalating danger, his refusal to give up the money stems from a deep-seated desire for autonomy and freedom.

Llewelyn Moss begins as a resourceful, self-sufficient Vietnam veteran living a simple life. His character arc is a tragic trajectory initiated by a single, impulsive decision: taking the money. This act transforms him from a hunter into the hunted. He uses his survival skills and cunning to stay one step ahead of his pursuers, but his overconfidence and stubborn independence ultimately lead to his downfall. He never fully grasps the nature of the force he is up against and dies not in a heroic showdown, but unceremoniously off-screen, a victim of the violent world he entered.

Bell is motivated by a deep-seated sense of duty and a desire to uphold justice and protect the innocent, specifically Llewelyn and Carla Jean. He is also driven by his personal history and a need to make up for what he perceives as a past act of cowardice during the war. He wants to make sense of the chaos and impose order, but ultimately realizes he is powerless against the coming tide of violence, leading to his decision to retire rather than confront an evil he doesn't understand.

Sheriff Bell is the moral center of the film, but his arc is one of disillusionment and resignation. He starts as a competent, traditional lawman who values justice and honesty. As he investigates the trail of violence left by Chigurh, he becomes increasingly aware that the world has changed in ways he cannot comprehend or combat. Haunted by a past failure in WWII and overwhelmed by the senseless brutality he now faces, he loses faith in his ability to protect his community. His arc concludes with his retirement and a quiet acceptance of his own limitations and the world's indifference, finding solace only in dreams of the past.

Wells is motivated primarily by money and professional pride. He is a specialist brought in to clean up a mess. He offers to protect Moss in exchange for the money, framing it as a simple business transaction. His motivation is purely transactional, which makes him unable to comprehend Chigurh's philosophical and seemingly non-rational motivations, leading to his demise.

Carson Wells is a confident, pragmatic bounty hunter hired to stop Chigurh and recover the money. He serves as a foil to both Chigurh and Moss. Unlike Moss, he understands the true nature of the threat Chigurh poses, explaining that Chigurh has unwavering "principles." Unlike Chigurh, Wells operates within a more conventional (though still criminal) framework of money and negotiation. His arc is short and brutal; his confidence proves to be hubris. He believes he can reason with or outmaneuver Chigurh, a fatal miscalculation that leads to his swift death.