Yesterday I went through a list of the first 7 movies the Coen Brothers made, up until their cult classic The Big Lebowski, which came out in 1998.
Since then, they’ve directed 11 more films together. Part 2 of our Coen Brothers overview will take us through 2000-2007, which brought us some of their best and worst-reviewed movies. (In Part 3, I’ll bring us up to their most recent collaboration, 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs).
As a reminder, at the end of each synopsis, I’m offering my recommendations for who is the ideal audience for each film. I think that ALL of the Coens’ movies are worth watching, but not everyone has time to watch 18 movies right away. I hope you’ll use this 3-part list to pick out the movies that make the most sense for you to start with.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
This is a loose but wonderful adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey. The Odysseus/Ulysses character is Ulysses Everett McGill, played by George Clooney. In the 1930s south, McGill and two other convicts (John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson) manage to escape the chain gang and try to get home. Their journeys are complicated by singing sirens, a “cyclops” Bible salesman played by John Goodman, a self-conscious gangster named “Babyface” Nelson, and the law.
Who should watch it? I LOVE this movie, and I could watch it over and over. It’s not one of their highest-reviewed movies (79% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is nothing to complain about!), but it’s funny, full of beautiful music, and at times a little bit sweet. I would recommend this to every English major in the country.
The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
And we’re back to film noir! The Man Who Wasn’t There is the story of Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber who blackmails his wife’s lover. Ever notice there are a lot of plots about real or imagined infidelity in their movies? And morality tales about the ways that men’s schemes to get rich or get revenge often go terribly wrong? That’s what we have in The Man Who Wasn’t There.
Who should watch it? I recommend this one to anyone who loves film noir.
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
If the Coen Brothers were going to direct a romantic comedy, this is as close as it gets. The movie follows George Clooney’s character Miles Massey, a cynical and successful divorce attorney, as he falls in love with Marylin Rexroth (Catherine Zeta-Jones). She is a gorgeous, smart woman who earns her money by marrying rich men. The film is a satirical comedy that targets both relationships and divorce lawyers.
Who should watch it? This is a good one for people who aren’t really into avant-garde movies or movies that deal with existential crises.
The Ladykillers (2004)
This one is a remake of the 1955 British film The Ladykillers, set in Mississippi. Irma P. Hall plays Mrs. Munson, a devout Christian woman who rents her home to a group of criminals led by Professor G.H. Dorr (Tom Hanks). Their plans to rob a riverboat casino get way more complicated when Mrs. Munson keeps inserting herself into their lives. The movie also stars J.K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, and Ryan Hurst.
Who should watch it? This is actually the only film that has a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It comes in at 54%. Not great. I would recommend it to die-hard Coen fans who want to see what they did with a remake.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
This bleak but incredible adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a hunter from West Texas who finds a bunch of money and probably should have left it alone. The cat-and-mouse plot sets up Moss against a ruthless hitman named Anton Chighurh (Javier Bardem). Meanwhile, Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who is trying to figure out what is going on — while hoping that Moss manages to stay alive.
Who should watch it? This movie earned extensive critical acclaim and won four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. It’s great for anyone who loves a dark, dramatic story with lots of suspense.
Ready for more Coen movies? Come back later for part 3!
