Review of Blood Simple (1985) by Jim A — 27 Aug 2011

Although this is the first feature by The Coen Brothers, and despite all of their accomplishments, I still consider this one of their best. The plot is as simple just as the title suggests, but the characters (as in all Coen tales) twist it waayyy out of proportion by way of sheer lack of communication.

To be blood simple, Husband hires Hitman to kill his cheating Wife and her Lover. Hitman double crosses Husband for money. Lover finds Husband dead and hides the body. Hitman comes after Lover and Wife to retrieve cigarette lighter left at the scene of the crime. That's the story.

It's not too much to keep down, but none of the characters ever figures out what actually happened, or what is actually happening, and all of the bloodshed could have been completely avoided if not for some straight up honest communication. But the lack thereof is precisely what makes this a work of art. As the opening Narration suggests, things don't always work out as planned.

The Coen's academy award winning "No Country for Old Men" owes a huge debt to "Blood Simple", as the two share virtually the same strikingly simple but overwhelmingly intense story about hitmen and money. I personally think Blood simple manifests a lot more style than its award-winning kin, and I never get tired of Barry Sonnenfeld's masterful camerawork. No knocking Roger Deakins, but Sonnenfeld definitely holds the torch.

Even with all the wicked suspense, wonderfully acted characters, and beautiful cinematography, the Coen's inclusion of "It's the Same Old Song" by the Four Tops is, somehow, what really ties the whole production together. Not only is the title of the song itself suggestive; after all, a murder mystery is nothing new, but it is being told in a way never before conceived. "It's the same old song, but with a different meaning", if you will.

Coen Brothers films just about never follow the traditional 3-act structure that other films do, and Blood Simple is no exception, but the use of the song is totally 3-act. We hear the song first when we are still meeting the characters, again when the tension begins to build, and finally at the heart-stopping, yet madly ironic conclusion. The song breaks the ice all three times it is played, and is what ultimately convinces you while the credits roll that you have just watched a great film.