30 Second Bottom Line: A classic film noir, this is the story of a detached man, a barber by trade, floating through his life and ultimately creating disaster. He becomes aware of a business opportunity and blackmails his wife's lover into giving him the cash needed for the deal. He ends up killing the wife's lover essentially in self-defense. She goes to prison for the crime. He gets scammed on the investment deal.

Story Line: Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thorton) works in his brother-in-law's barbershop. Just he and his brother-in-law Frank (Michael Badalucco) are there. Ed's the silent type; Frank never stops talking. Ed is just passing through life. We understand that his wife Doris (Frances McDormand) told him after they dated for two weeks that they should get married, that they knew everything they'd ever need to know about each other by then. Ed states that that was true. He knows her no better after years of marriage than he did after two weeks. It's clear he's never tried. Does he love her? It doesn't seem like Ed has any feelings or motivations until he shows interest in a dry cleaning investment idea discussed by a man who comes in for a haircut.

Doris, in contrast, is a hot pistol. We often see her primping and dolling up. It seems pretty clear it's not for Ed's sake who doesn't seem to care about anything. When Ed decides to change his dull life and gamble on this dry cleaning opportunity he figures Doris has been sleeping with her boss, Big Dave Brewster (James Gandolfini) and blackmails him. In the typical nightmarish film noir scenario one bad decision leads to another until Ed's life has spiraled completely out of control.

Tell Me More About It: The style, lighting, filming, acting, directing is great. What leaves me flat is the story. Ed is such a passive, lame guy, with little personality or memorable characteristics, that we hardly care what happens to him. He is too flat a character for us to truly relate or empathize with him. The film is huge on style and light on a passionate story. It moves at Ed's pace which is like hearing yesterday's news.

The lighting and the cinematography are mesmerizing and beautiful. This is a black and white film that is continually creating visual drama and photographic contrast. The acting is stellar. The Coen brothers have created a masterpiece of sorts. It's just not a grab me and won't let go kind of story. It is art as film and is exquisite in its design.

Ed Crane: Billy Bob Thornton	Dave Brewster: James Gandolfini
Doris Crane: Frances McDormand	Directed by Joel Coen Written by Joel & Ethan Coen