Review of Miller's Crossing (1990) by Kenr — 16 May 2022

Miller’s Crossing – A Different Take Yet another stylish but relatively empty Cohen Bros study of the wretchedly brutal lives of worthless underworld gangsters. Direction, characters, and dialogue are as measured as they are familiar and seem to be copying many gangster flicks that went before it.

Take away the obviously slick scene set-ups and it’s just a shell that’s strung together in order to cram in as many killings, bashing, and double-crosses as three or four other movies just like it.

The movie's main character (Byrne) is somewhat like a cartoon character who gets knocked down several flights of stairs, bashed so badly (and often) that it’s amazing he can ever stand again but the next day he’s on the street looking fresh as a daisy.

The only wound ever visibly inflicted is a cracked lip (that he’s had since the movie started!). It’s all reminiscent of a Sergio Lorne spaghetti western, the type these moviemakers would have grown up watching.

Fans will not see the flaws through being blinded by the trendy stylistics but judging by the poor box-office returns, many others were not being so fooled. Carter Burwell’s score, adapted from a Celtic classic is most effective but deserves a better subject.

The last scene, this time reminiscent of a far better Carol Reed classic, also features a Hat scene that looks like it belonged in a dark, Disney remake of the story of Johnny Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnet.

A good cast wasted in more over the top nasty silliness.