Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) by E L — 27 Jul 2012
The Man Who Wasn't There is filmed very well and the story is good on paper, but an emotional connection to the characters or the things that happen to them "wasn't there." The film gives off a good looking noir feel, as it is presented in black and white.
It has fine performances, most notably from Billy Bob Thornton (whom I met in person a few months back) who plays a very quiet and concentrated man. He gets himself tangled up in a bloody mess and hires a lawyer to get him out of it.
The film seemed particularly interesting in the beginning, when the Coen brothers introduce Thornton's character. Once Thornton gets tangled up in this bloody mess, it gets a whole lot less interesting while the opposite should have happened.
The ending presents some very good themes and ideas, but I just wasn't engaged in the plot. I think the Coen brothers are very talented guys, but I really prefer their new films compared to their old.
I wasn't crazy about Fargo, and I definitely wasn't crazy about this.
This review of The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) was written by E L on 27 Jul 2012.
The Man Who Wasn't There has generally received very positive reviews.
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