Review of Blood Simple (1985) by Paul D — 22 Jan 2014

In one sense, this is a fairly typical neo-noir modelled loosely on the James M. Cain kind of betrayal and misunderstanding story. It's slightly frustrating at times since a lot would be resolved if the characters just said the next thing that was on their mind instead of stopping .

.. but it's also an extremely efficiently executed thriller of this type with a magnificent climax. What really elevates it to a masterpiece for me is that it's a source of constant visual delight.

Working with Barry Sonnenfeld, the Coens find ways to stage scene after scene in surprising ways without really showing off ... at least not as often as they could.