Review of Miller's Crossing (1990) by Adam K — 24 Jul 2009

Miller's crossing is the coen brothers own crossing into the world of prohibition-era gangsters, and in this journey, they make it to the other side successfully with a brilliant story carried by top-notch characters and a vivid sense of the noir genre.

the premise sets up an ambitious war between irish and italian gangsters, as well as each sides respective wildcards who shape the pieces of the puzzle in the plot's splendid direction. gabriel byrne's role as tom reagan, the quietly smart right hand man to albert finney's mob boss liam finn calmly and commandingly shows the most subliminally strong character amongst fluctuating figures.

jon polito's turn as johnny caspar, finn's rival is memorably humorous, keeping true to the coens' sense of combining entertaining humor amidst darker moods and atmospheres. the film also sticks to the age old tradition of noir, bringing in the powerful female presence, this time played in turn by lara flynn boyle, who never misses a beat as verna burnbaum, the seductively intriguing counterpart to the film's strongest male figures, whose turn in the story shapes the relationships between key characters.

at just under two hours, you never lose the beat of the pace, keeping attemt to each and every detail provided from a fantastic script, and darkly vibrant cinematography, which is led profoundly by note for note acting from a superbly talented cast.

miller's crossing is truly a parade of ambitious success from two of the indstry's most renowned modern filmmakers, giving its audience a true sense of the value provided by an excellently crafted crime drama.