...
The plot
Ed Crane is a barber in a small US town. He had no desire to be a barber; he fell into the job after marrying his wife, whose father owned a barber shop. His life should be good, but there is something missing and his wife, Doris, is having an affair with her boss. When Ed is ... Read review
WithThe Man Who Wasn't Therethe Coen brothers--those ironic geniuses of left-field ... more
bizarre--have pulled off another side-swerve into the unexpected. A movie "about a hairdresser who wants to become a dry-cleaner" as the brothers gleefully claim to have...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
WithThe Man Who Wasn't Therethe Coen brothers--those ironic geniuses of left-field ... more
bizarre--have pulled off another side-swerve into the unexpected. A movie "about a hairdresser who wants to become a dry-cleaner" as the brothers gleefully claim to have...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Set in the summer of 1949 The Man Who Wasn't There is Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton) a ... more
barber in a small northern California town. Ed is dissatisfied with his life but his wife Doris' (Frances McDormand) infidelity presents Ed with an opportunity for...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
A tale of passion, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane (Billy Bob ... more
Thornton), a barber in a small northern California town, is dissatisfied with his wife, but his wife Doris (Frances McDonald) infidelity presents Ed with an opportun...
The Coen Brothers are back with a dark and twisted film noir unlikeanything you've ever ... more
seen. Set in a small 1949 California town,this is the story of a seemingly simple barber, who turns toblackmail and revenge to escape his achingly dull life. But in thetradition of classic noir, nothing goes as planned and nothing isas it seems. And as the barber's plot unravels, the delicioussurprises, stunning revelations and just plain strange occurrenceswill disturb and delight you long after the film has ended.
Original UK Quad; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 40 x 30 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco, James Gandolfini, Katherine Borowitz, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
Postage & Packaging:£2.50 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1957 - Drama - Director: Leo McCarey - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Cathleen Nesbitt, Deborah Kerr, Cary Grant, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson, Fortunio Bonanova
Advantages: Superb acting, both tragic and blackly funny Disadvantages: None
...I at least remember what the plot is. One thing I could remember about it was that it was directed by the Coen brothers, and although I have watched one or two bad Coen films, they are generally pretty good. So I decided to give it another try. Thank goodness I did. I'm not sure whether I was drunk the first time I watched it or what, but this is a film that I really enjoyed and thought had some superb performances.
The plot
... ...a barber; he fell into the job after marrying his wife, whose father owned a barber shop. His life should be good, but there is something missing and his wife, Doris, is having an affair with her boss. When Ed is given the opportunity to invest some money in an enterprise, he is determined to raise the money. His first port of call is his wife's boss, Big Dave, whom he successfully blackmails to the tune of $10,000.
I've had this DVD in my collection for quite some time and although I have watched it before, I suddenly realised I couldn't remember what it was about. This doesn't bode well for a film; usually if a film is worth watching, I at least remember what the plot is. One thing I could remember about it was that it was directed by the Coen brothers, and although I have watched one or two bad Coen films, they are generally pretty good. So I decided to give it another try. Thank goodness I did. I'm not sure whether I was drunk the first time I watched it or what, but this is a film that I really enjoyed and thought had some superb performances.
The plot Ed Crane is a barber in a small US town. He had no desire to be a barber; he fell into the job after marrying his wife, whose father owned a barber shop. His life should be good, but there is something missing and his wife, Doris, is having an affair with her boss. When Ed is given the opportunity to invest some money in an enterprise, he is determined to raise the money. His first port of call is his wife's boss, Big Dave, whom he successfully blackmails to the tune of $10,000.
All seems to be going swimmingly; until Big Dave finds out that it is Ed who blackmailed him. An altercation takes place and Big Dave is killed. Ed manages to get away from the scene of crime, only to discover that Doris has been accused of the murder and has been taken into custody. Will Ed be able to clear his wife's name? Will he give himself up?
The characters/actors Ed Crane is played by Billy Bob Thornton. I am not that familiar with his acting, but I did really enjoy him in this film. He is not someone that is likely to grace anyone's bedroom walls (well, not mine anyway) - he is far too rugged to be classed as good looking, but it is precisely this that makes him stand out as an actor, because nothing deflects from his acting. There are a lot of close ups of his face during the film, showing a range of emotions, and yet he hardly moves a muscle. He is totally made for this film and gives a superb performance. He also narrates much of the film, which can be off-putting in some films, with his deep and rather rough voice, is very effective.
I also love Frances McDormand as Doris. She is an actress for whom I have a great deal of respect. She gave a stunning performance in Fargo, another Coen film, and although her role in this film is not the main one, she still gives a strong performance as a woman accused of a crime she didn't commit and of which she has no understanding. I think she is a very underestimated actress with great talent that hasn't been fully tapped into.
James Gandolfini plays Big Dave. When I first watched this, I hadn't yet watched The Sopranos and didn't really know who James Gandolfini was. Now I can certainly see the similarities between this role and Tony Soprano's - both are crooks with big personalities that also have a conscience. I thought he did well in the role, but it didn't convince me of his skills as an actor.
The dreadful city lawyer, Riedenschneider, brought in to defend Doris is played by Tony Shalhoub. He brings most of the humour into the film and somehow seems to fit into it beautifully. A final role worth mentioning is that of the young pianist, played by a young Scarlett Johansson. I am quite a fan of Johansson and although she doesn't have much of a role other than to look young and pretty, she does it with a touch of class rarely seen in one so young, showing the promise that she realises in later roles.
Technical bits
Running time: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Classification: 15. There is quite a violent and bloody scene at one point, so this is probably about right.
Conclusion I really did enjoy this film. It is a rare combination of drama, classy filming and black humour; a combination that few directors can produce. The Coen Brothers have produced some interesting films, both good, like Fargo and terrible, like Intolerable Cruelty. This definitely falls into the first category. The ending in particular is very cleverly done and was totally unexpected.
One thing that may put some people off is that it is filmed in black and white. This is a rare occurrence in contemporary films and I'm sure that the young in particular will find this odd. Personally, I thought it added to the whole atmosphere of the film. I love films with plenty of colour, sometimes this can make a film; but in this case, the sharpness of the filming and the use of light and dark are far more important in getting the story across to the viewer.
I rarely notice musical scores, but I did like the Beethoven piano concerto that was constantly played throughout the film. It added perfectly to the atmosphere of the film.
Often, a film with a long list of well-known actors thrown at it can flop, simply because all of them are fighting for the viewer's attention. In this case, the quality of the actors was an advantage and really made the film special. Billy Bob Thornton and Frances McDormand particularly shine. Highly recommended.
The DVD that I have was bought abroad and has no extras; I have therefore reviewed the film only. The DVD plus extras is available from play.com for £5.99.
Advantages: great acting, stunning cinematography Disadvantages: slow pace for some
The Man Who Wasn’t There is a tale of murder, mystery, tragedy and above all else hairdressing. Billy Bob Thornton plays Ed Crane, a barber who is a man of very few words. He spends his days cutting hair and listening instead of talking. He observes the world with a burning cigarette pressed between his lips while his brother in law (Michael Badalucco) talks about anything and everything. Meanwhile at home he has a strange empty marriage to ... ...the local department store manager Big Dave Brewster (James Gandolfini). One day he is cutting the hair of a salesman Creighton Tolliver (Jon Polito) who sells him on the idea of a new business venture called Dry Cleaning. All that is needed is $10,000 to watch the money roll right in and start up a franchise. Ed blackmails Big Dave for the money by anonymously threatening to expose his affair. However what happens is something Ed could not have ...
utero 12.11.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)
Advantages: Compelling, Noir and beyond Disadvantages: negligable so shan't mention
The Coen Brothers come up with another cult classic. Most definitely a must-see for fans of film noir. Roger Deakins (director of photography) gives the look of the film added depth by shooting it on colour negative and printing in black and white. With lingering, shadowy and perfectly framed scenes, this looks so good that you can forgive the slow pace. There's a brevity of plot and meandering aspect, but the delicious, mood-lit and angular aesthetics ... ...a convincing late 1940s, the story centres on and is narrated by the character Ed Crane, played by Billy Bob Thornton. He's an insignificant suburban barber, who doesn't say much and has ambitions to improve his life. His lush wife, played by Frances McDormand (also stars in many Coen films, most notably Fargo, and is married to Joel Coen), is having an affair with a family friend and he knows this. When a visitor to the Barber Shop tells him of ...
faithbuck 06.11.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)
The Coen brothers latest effort has been billed as a film noir. Shot beautifully in black and white, The Man Who Wasn't There pays tribute to a number of older film noir classics. Written, directed and produced by the Coen brothers and starring Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini this film does not dissapoint. The storyline is typically bizarre. There is an affair, some blackmail, a touch of murder and some legal manoeuvring. ... ...Ed Crane played by Thornton. The guy seems disconnected from the world, emotionally detached and deeply unhappy. His wife is also having problems with life which she deals with by assuming a tough as nails persona. Ed is a barber, he works with the loudmouth brother of his wife, played by Badalucco. He feels unsatisfied with his life and sees a variety of ways to improve it, to potentially escape from daily mundanity. The story soons becomes quite ...
setimerenptah 07.11.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)
Advantages: I'm copping out - read the review. Disadvantages: See Advantages
...a reworking of Homer’s Odyssey. The Big Lebowski? A tribute to those old Philip Marlowe flicks. Fargo? Blood Simple. Would one be right in assuming that the Coen Brothers have run out of original ideas? The answer is The Man Who Wasn’t There. Well actually the answer is no, but you were with me, right? Right?!@#
~~~
The Plot (sans spoilers)
Billy-Bob Thornton (Armageddon), plays Ed Crane, a barber who is quite content with keeping ... ...getting a 10% discount at the store she works at, and possibly having an affair with her boss Dave (James Gandolfini from True Romance). Ed’s routine existence is disturbed by a bolshy wig-wearing customer who waltzes into the barbers one day with fancy talk of setting up a dry cleaning business. Ed is taken by this notion, and comes up with a simple plan to blackmail Dave for $10,000 – the amount he needs to become a partner in the dry ...
peppersinclaire 14.11.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)
Advantages: At least i get an opinion Disadvantages: Ciao pay me the exact worth of my talent
Well this is the film the critics have singled out to rave about as they do once a month, but this time they were justified. Written, directed and produced by the Coen brothers Joel and Ethan who continue to create superb, convention defying films such as their earlier hits; Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Millers Crossing. The Man Who Wasn’t There can certainly be added to their list of successes as they prove yet again how damn good they are ... ...well used, and it sets the scene perfectly. The star is Billy Bob Thornton as Ed a barber in a small forties town, he is married to Frances McDormand who plays Doris and is married to Joel Coen in real life. It is a reasonably small cast with Michael Badalucco co starring as Frank and James Gandolfini as Big Dave. At 116 minutes it is quite long and requires your focused attention throughout, sometimes it rambles and patience is needed, but on the ...
willgould 06.11.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)
Audio Commentary - 1. Billy Bob Thornton - Star, Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailers, 2. TV Spots, Featurette - 1. THE MAKING OF THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, Interview - 1. Roger Deakins - Cinematographer, Deleted Scenes, Stills Gallery
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English Dolby Digital 2.0 English
Professional reviews
Review
"...Succulently retro, vintage-Hollywood-goes-bizarro film noir..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.79-80, 09/11/2001)
"...A fully realized, cohesive, and -- the real surprise -- completely 'serious' homage to the Hollywood genre, perhaps the best neo-noir since THE TWO JAKES..." (Film Comment, p.75, 01/09/2001)
"...One of [the Coen brothers's] most haunting and rewarding works..." (Movieline, p.46, 01/11/2001)
"...It's probable that most filmmakers love making movies, but few of them express this love with such voracious, crazy ardor....THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE moves with the stately grace of the Beethoven that decorates the soundtrack..." (New York Times, p.E1, 31/10/2001)
"...It's shot in clean, crisp black and white, it's elegant compositions masterfully framed and lit....The Coens are masters of the offbeat and bizarre..." (Sight and Sound, p.50-1, 01/11/2001)
"...The remarkable Thornton never hits a false note..." (USA Today, p.6D, 31/10/2001)
DVD Description
The Coen brothers' THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE is a brilliantly photographed black-and-white absurdist noir set in Santa Rosa, California, in 1949. Ed Crane (the outstanding Billy Bob Thornton) is a slow-moving, barely talking barber who doesn't seem to want much out of life. He has virtually no relationship with his wife, Doris (Frances McDormand), who has more fun with her boss, Big Dave (James Gandolfini). But when a strange character (Jon Polito) lets it be known that he's looking for a silent partner to finance his dream business (something he calls dry cleaning), Ed sees a possible way out of his doldrums. Just like any good James M. Cain novel (which the Coens cited as a major influence on the story), blackmail, deceit, violence, murder, and double crossing ensue, all with the magic Coen twists and turns. THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE looks simply magnificent; the cinematography, the outfits, and the set designs perfectly capture this intriguing post-WWII paranoid world embodied by misfits, cheats, simpletons, con men, and other ne'er-do-wells. Thornton, who also supplies the wonderfully droll narration, gives a bravura performance as Ed, the everyman who has never strayed from the straight and narrow--until now. Always with a Chesterfield in his mouth, he wanders from scene to scene almost as if he's a spectator--even though he's at the center of everything that goes on. The supporting cast, as usual in a Coen brothers film, is outstanding, including McDormand, Gandolfini, Polito, Tony Shalhoub, Richard Jenkins, and Scarlett Johansson as a young potential piano prodigy.
Compare The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD) to other similar Drama »
Similar products and search queries by other users »
The DVD, The Man DVD, The Who DVD, The Wasnt DVD, The There DVD, The Man Who DVD, The Man Wasnt DVD, The Man There DVD, The Who Wasnt DVD, The Who There DVD, The Wasnt There DVD, The Man Who Wasnt DVD, The Man Who There DVD, The Man Wasnt There DVD, The Who Wasnt There DVD
Are you the manufacturer / provider of The Man Who Wasn't There (DVD)? Click here
![The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78527877.jpg)
