|
| .. |
|
|
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
Review by Michael Jacobson
Stars:
Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco, James
Gandolfini, Tony Shalhoub
Director: Joel Coen
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Studio: USA Entertainment
Features: See Review
Length: 116 Minutes
Release Date: April 16, 2002
“I
don't talk much…I just cut the hair.”
The
essence of noir, according to Martin Scorsese, is that there is no
absolution…you just keep paying for your sins.
But it isn't about bad characters doing bad deeds…it's about NORMAL
characters doing bad deeds. The
world of noir is a dark and foreboding one, without comfort for its
audience…it's a world of bad luck and dire twists of fate, where the most
unexpected events not only happen, but destroy you as a result.
According
to Joel and Ethan Coen, The Man Who Wasn't There is about a barber who
wants to be a dry cleaner. Noir
material? Definitely…especially
in the hands of the artists who made Blood Simple and Fargo.
The Coen Brothers know all about simply dreams going terribly awry,
and they've created just the character with which to propel their warped story
of blackmail, murder, and justice.
That
character is Ed Crane (the excellent Thornton), a quiet man with a simple
suburban life in 1949. He works as
a barber in the shop owned by his brother in law, Frank (Badalucco).
His wife, Doris (McDormand), works for the local department store, but is
having an affair with her boss, Big Dave (Gandolfini).
Does Ed know about it? It
would seem so. How does he react? Pretty much the same way he moves through the rest of the
story…slowly.
This
is a setting where little would seem to happen, but change is about to enter
Ed's life for the first time in a long time.
When a too-good-to-be-true proposition comes his way, he begins to
think…maybe his wife's infidelity is the key to making his modest dreams
come true! But perhaps the point is
that guys like Ed shouldn't dream. Dreaming
is too painful.
I
won't divulge the wicked twists that come along…the Coen Brothers deliver
their punches with their usual dark wit, where humor doesn't ease tension, but
coils it even tighter. There is
more than a share of irony involved, but it is irony scripted by fate's wicked
sense of fair play. Ed's world
was once as constant as can be, but it turns into one surprise after another.
People continually show up to deliver bad news to him, though never the
news he or we, the audience, is expecting.
His solace comes from unusual places…a piano playing schoolgirl, for
one, and an expensive lawyer who refers to himself in third person more than Bob
Dole.
The
story is a pleasure…the look of the film is even more so.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins scored a well-deserved Oscar nomination for
his work, which creates a black and white world like I've never seen.
Taking place in 1949, Deakins and the Coens created a picket-fence,
bleached bread suburban landscape and then photographed it with all the imposing
light and shadow play of German Expressionism.
Imagine “Leave it to Beaver” through the eyes of F. W. Murnau, and
you get the idea.
Billy
Bob Thornton is an amazing actor, and this script gives him a chance to show a
completely different side of his talent. Known
for playing strongly defined characters, he plays Ed with a quiet stillness.
He listens instead of talks; he reacts rather than acts.
He almost lets Ed fade into the background to where we'd actually lose
track of him if the camera didn't seek him out.
His work is a revelation, and the cornerstone that makes every other
aspect of the picture work.
The
Man Who Wasn't There deserves to be considered in the same vein as the Coen Brothers' best
movies. It's a new take on noir
as only their imaginations could concoct.
Video
****
I
mentioned the cinematography, and this anamorphic transfer from USA equates to
one of the best looking black and white films I've seen on disc.
The imagery from start to finish are absolute textbook for explaining to
the uninitiated just how powerfully expressive black and white can be.
The whites are clean and pure, the blacks are deep and rich, and every
tone of grayscale is vibrant and balanced.
Contrast is strong without ever distorting, and there is no evidence of
grain, haze, or compression, no matter how light or dark the individual scenes.
Outstanding!
Audio
***
This
is a decent 5.1 mix for a dialogue oriented film. I don't think the .1 channel ever kicked in, but then
again, I didn't miss it. Most of
the action is on the front stage, where spoken words are clear and panning
effects are smooth and tasteful. The
rear stage opens up for the score and a few busier scenes to add a little
dimension. Beethoven's
“Pathetique” on piano sounds particularly lovely, and becomes a repeated
motif. A quality effort, given the
nature of the subject matter.
Features
***
This
DVD has the appearance of a great features package, but like the lawyer in the
movie says, sometimes the closer you look, the less you see.
I enjoyed the commentary track with Billy Bob Thornton and the Coen
brothers…it was moderately informative, but an entertaining listen.
You'll hear less about the actual filmmaking process and more stories
about Thornton quitting smoking…but there are also some jewels when they talk
about the characters in depth (it's clear they all have affinity for Ed
Crane).
There
is a making of featurette, which is actually about 15 minutes worth of
cut-together interviews…no flow, no structure, no depth.
There is an interview with cinematographer Roger Deakins, which will
interest serious cinema buffs. It
runs about 46 minutes, but unfortunately, is also poorly assembled and dully
presented. There are even
accidental jump cuts that seem to omit some information here and there.
Rounding
out are five deleted scenes, a trailer and two TV spots, filmographies and a
photo gallery.
Summary: