Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) by Maria V — 09 Mar 2010

One of the most frequently overlooked films on the Coen Brother's resume, "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a gorgeously photographed film noir throwback that deserves much more attention than what it receives. Okay, it's not quite to the level of Fargo, but this fits up there with Blood Simple or Millers Crossing and is still vastly superior to the majority of Hollywood films on the market.

The story is of an ordinary barber, his wife, her boss, and a get rich quick scheme that go horribly awry. Billy Bob Thorton plays the barber fixed in his mundane duties at the barbershop while he silent assumes his wife, Francis McDormand, is having an affair with her boss, James Gandolfini. Without divulging too many of the plot points, I'll just tell you that a scheme comes into play which sets in course a bit of a roller coaster.

The acting is superb, as is usually the case with a Coen Brothers film, but the star is the cinematography. I'm a sucker for noir, and this was brilliantly shot by a master of the industry, Roger Deakins. The script was definitely solid with the story straying at just a few moments.

There are very few people I wouldn't recommend this film to. It is solid in almost every way and though I mentioned its strays, it is never boring. Casual fans of cinema will enjoy, and for any fan of the Coen's, this is a must...