Reviews of The Man Who Wasn't There
Displaying all 2 reviews
Conner Rainwater
12Jun10
Maybe it’s just the fact that it’s the plot is so flashy or the fact that it’s shot so well, but this is really just undeniably amazing to watch. I think it’s the best that Billy Bob Thorton has ever been, I love him in it. Even though it’s a throwback to Noir, it feels like you got something new with this. Again I have to mention the cinematography because it is just flawless. This is probably the best and true example of Neo-Noir because it uses all of the old devices. The voice-over, double crossing characters, sex and morality is all there. Joel Coen directed a masterpiece and a true ode to the genre.
- Currently 5.0/5 Stars.
Byron Brubaker
30Nov09
More great period detail and jargon from the Coen Brothers. McDormand and Shalhoub stand out. Johansson and Jenkins are wasted. Shalhoub’s lawyer brings up the post-modern uncertainty principle, so it shares something with A Serious Man, which I loved. However, I didn’t get the deep meaning of men’s hairstyles and cutting hair. Thornton is too stone faced and monosyllabic to build any interest in his character. The conflicts do not ramp up enough as the story progresses.
- Currently 3.0/5 Stars.