The film clearly centers its story on a same-sex relationship, which was highly unusual for its release year. While the main characters are portrayed as complex and flawed, some viewers may see the plot as constructed primarily to push boundaries on identity over traditional Western themes. Still, characterization is strong, so it's not pure message over substance.

Brokeback Mountain definitely subverts traditional portrayals of masculinity, romance, and marriage common in Westerns. It challenges the values of family, religion, and rural expectations, suggesting these are stifling and even tragic for those who don’t fit in, which is a major departure from typical genre fare.

There are some secondary perspectives presented (wives, townspeople), but dissenters are never given much complexity or sympathy. The focus remains on the struggle of the protagonists and the unaccepting environment is framed as oppressive, with little room for nuance.