Miller's Crossing (1990)

An outstanding example of both

 light and dark tones colliding,

to create a film with a feel all it's own.

The Coen Brothers' most underrated 

masterpiece.

Miller's Crossing is rarely discussed as one of the Coen's best efforts. It tends to be ignored and overlooked by the majority of film fans. This is admittedly true of the majority of their 

pre-Fargo output, however I find it especially baffling in this case. Miller's Crossing is a masterpiece in my opinion, and shows outstanding cinematic mastery from the brothers early on in their careers. 

There are many great elements within Miller's Crossing, however I was most impressed by it's shockingly well formed tone and atmosphere. The film walks a near impossible balance between light-hearted and even cartoony  wonder, and genuinely engrossing drama and suspense. It can shift between feeling comedic, tense, dramatic and emotional in a span of a few minutes, and does so with such effortless dexterity. I do not even pretend to understand why these tonal movements work so well here, whilst in lesser films they could result in a confused and jumbled mess. It simply works, perhaps due to the incredibly written script. There is not a single exchange which feels awkward or clunky. It is fluid and totally absorbing, with a mindboggling number of memorable quotes and hilarious quips. It feels almost Tarantino-esk, although this predates Tarantino and the characters are far more complex and compelling.

The acting used to bring these characters to life is perfect, simple. I have never had much exposure to Gabriel Byrne before, however I am now sure that he is a first class actor, if only for his outstanding lead performance here. He is both a despicable slime-ball, and an endearing and likable rogue. The film relishes in his many flaws, yet still gives him enough of a heart to make him relatable. Despite his deplorable actions and bloodthirsty demeanour, we do not reject him as a main character and audience vessel. It is almost impossible to quantify how a script or actor can do that, and shows the Coen's prefect balance of direction and writing.

Aside from Byrne, the supporting cast is also great. Tuturro, Finney, Gay Harden and Buscemi all imbue their characters with fully formed personalities and relatable motivations. Special mention must go to Tuturro who steals every scene he's in and also secures himslef a place as a top-tier actor in my eyes from this film. Beyond all of the supporting cast however is Jon Polito, who delivers one of the all time great supporting performances. He is stupidly likable and endearing in every scene he is in, and had me practically leaping for joy whenever he appeared on screen. I will not spoil any more of his performance, just know it makes the film great all by itself.

Overall, this film is a testament to the Coen's masterful control of tone and character. I would highly recommend this film to any film fan, and hold it as one of the most underrated films of the last 30 years.

By Jack D. Phillips

A Zoom Film Review