Review of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) by John T — 18 Nov 2018

This movie, a send-up by the Cohen brothers about Westerns, misses not a cliche or a stereotype character: the gambler, the man in Black, the rustler, the banker, and more . . . including bloodthirsty Indians.

As is their style, they have given us near-perfection in all the visual aspects required by the form: the man in black emerging alone fro the distant haze, the public hanging, the bank robbery, and so forth. The camera work is so stunning, I think I could watch this film without sound.

But that would be wrong. The music sets the tone nicely, and the writing is as sharp as the working end of a Bowie knife.

Typically, the Cohens pile on the dark humor. Rather than resist and label them as cynics, instead I chose to go with the flow. I ended up laughing a lot.

As the reviews indicate I laughed a lot more than the audience, but I can take solace in knowing the critics loved it as much as I do. This is a film that deserves repeated viewings. I intend to buy it and enjoy it once or twice a year. Like the Cohen boys, I understand that Americans just donâ(TM)t get irony. And they have to be whacked on the upside their heads to be informed that something is a joke.

But like the Cohens I donâ(TM)t give a damn and Americ's version of mass-market audiences. The Cohens make movies for themselves. I donâ(TM)t like all the movies theyâ(TM)ve made, but when they're good, theyâ(TM)re very, very good.