Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) by Carl F — 21 Sep 2008

If you're a Coen fan, you'll love this. If you are not, don't bother. This is the closest the brothers have come to adhering to the Noir tradition. Filmed in black and white, minimal dialogue, dark subject matters and a voice over from the lead character, there are certainly hats (probably trilbies) being tipped to films of the 40s, 50s and early 60s.

The Coen humour runs like a thin thread through the film but this isn't a "oh Brother..." or "Big Labowski" comedy. It did make me wonder though if people really used to say things like "knucklehead" and "heavens to betsy".

Answers on a postcard to Joel and Ethan Coen...