Miller's Crossing

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source: Miller's Crossing

Miller's Crossing is one the Coen Brother's earliest and finest movies, showcasing their monster talent they have from an early stage in their career. From airtight, authentic characters set over the beautiful, atmosphere filled streets of the roaring 20s, to the complexity of the story, and being able to flesh it out, developing everything naturally in less than two hours, although towards the end there are some small pacing issues but nothing that greatly detracts from the drama. It's darkly funny under the tension, something the Coen Brothers do with ease, each character is memorable and the performances are stellar, the action is bloody and frantic, and it shapes up to be one of the best gangster movies of its genre and it is criminally underrated. If you ever have the opportunity to watch Miller's Crossing, do not hesitate, it is a satisfying and rewarding watch.

This elegant tale of a supposedly heartless mobster named Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne) is not your regular mob film. Opulent, prohibition-era sets provide the backdrop for the quirky, sassy dialogue. John Torturro delivers a stand-out performance in a small role, but it is Byrne who carries the movie with his icy demeanor and subtle depth. The movie slows on occasion, and stalled during a scene with Regan and love interest Verna (Marcia Gay Harden). The Coen brothers seem more comfortable advancing plot than developing characters with dialogue. Frances McDormand (of Fargo), appears briefly in an uncredited role as the mayor's secretary. Steve Buscemi, also of Fargo, plays Mink, love interest to tough guy Eddie Dane (JE Freeman) and Torturro's grifter. Stylish and witty, the film is essential viewing for fans of the genre and of the Coens.

"Miller's Crossing" is, in my opinion, the most accomplished of the Coen brother movies, which is saying something; they have made some very fine flicks. Among the criticisms I've heard about the Coens are: (1) they are too zany ("Raising Arizona"), (2) they are too offbeat ("The Big Lebowski"), (3) they are too dark ("Barton Fink"), and more recently (4) they have sold out to commercial Hollywood ("Intolerable Cruelty"). True or not, none of those complaints can be made about "Miller's Crossing", which is one of the most well-crafted movies in Hollywood history. Perhaps because no one aspect of the film (scripting or directing or acting or cinematography or sound) stands out above the others, it's easier to overlook how superb every film element is accomplished. As a result, this is a movie I bought, and one that I watch over and again, especially when I'm trying to learn something about the craft of movie-making.

This film is like it was a custom order from Mafia to entertain their criminal minds in a special theater. Mafia talk about their problems, mafia war (or gangster war if you prefer) and I couldn't care less. But even they would be disappointed. Too slow, too much blah, blah (if they talked that much they wouldn't be murderers in the first place), even naive and boring -at least up to about the 40' minute where I stopped watching. I wasn't convinced at all that it was worth a viewing but I was sure that up to that minute it was a waste of my time. Such films present criminals and their criminal ways of thinking and acting as if they deserve a presentation and even a promotion. Sorry I don't buy it.

This film was extremely disappointing. There are a few nice moments, but it's more of a torture to watch this than enjoyable. The storyline is not very interesting and it's storytelling is so complicated and difficult, it's just hard to understand what's happening. Very poor presentation. After watching the film I thought it was a poor story, but I wasn't sure if I got it right, since the storytelling is absurd. I then read the whole summary of the film just to be sure I got it right and I was so disappointed it was just that.

This movie demonstrates how it is that true creative originality, married with artistic and technical excellence, are still possible in even the most seemingly overworked genres. This movie is so much fun. It is clear that the artist's had fun doing it and were in-joy-in themselves. So fun. Highly recommended. Gabriel Byrne is such a study in calm under pressure. Marcia Gay Harden gives life to what are really only a very few lines and creates a complete human being. Albert Finney, although uncertain whether or not to use an Irish brogue, balances with mastery the portrayal of power in the crucible of romantic love. I don't know the name of the man who plays Caspar, but he is so delicious in his role. He took big chances and we were all rewarded by his courage. I saw this movie in '93 for the first time and did not appreciate it at all. I'm watching it now and loving it.

Millers crossing is another movie that was made by coen brothers and i must say that it shows a lot in many ways,characters are build up with a lot of seriousness and with strong story that basiacly bring back film noirs back from the dead in 90s bryne was also very good in a film and he sold every moment he was in and we could see in his eyes how hard were some decisions to make and how it was hard to switch between two loyalties ,use of location when they were filming in a forest was a very good decision and use of it was done rather well,torturro was very memorable in a small role and he may give his best performance there,millers crossing was a great coen brothers film and they showed how in any genre they can make a watchable and good movie

Tough, laconic gambler 'Tom Reagan' (Gabriel Byrne) games the Irish and the Italian mobs resulting in lots of grifts, double-crosses, beatings, and murders. Byrne is excellent as cool, unflappable Reagan, as is J.E. Freeman, the even tougher and more laconic enforcer 'Eddie Dane' (my favorite character). In contrast, there is weaselly, whiney 'Bernie Bernbaum' (a perfect John Turturro) and motor-mouth 'Mink' (Steve Buscemi). Albert Finny is great as 'Leo', the aging Irish boss (but "still an artist with a Thompson" (my favorite line)). The moderately complex plot holds together well, the script is excellent, the cinematography striking, and the Coen Brothers production/direction is, as always, peerless. I found that the undefined place and time, the minimalism, the lack of people other than crooks and cops, and the Thompsons with unnatural magazine capacities gave the film a slight fantasy-noir feel that I really liked.