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Summary Set in 1949, this film from Joel and Ethan Coen is a tale of passion, crime and punishment, all presented in glorious black-and-white. (USA Films)
Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Written By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
The Man Who Wasn't There
73
7.6
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Summary Set in 1949, this film from Joel and Ethan Coen is a tale of passion, crime and punishment, all presented in glorious black-and-white. (USA Films)
Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Written By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 33 Critic Reviews
73
82% Positive
27 Reviews
27 Reviews
12% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
6% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 33 Critic Reviews
73
82% Positive
27 Reviews
27 Reviews
12% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
6% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
If this were not such great American-vernacular moviemaking -- hilarious yet hypnotic -- one would be tempted to see something Greek in the tragedy that Ed never comprehends.
It's an entirely conceived work of art, dark and hopeless and maybe even callous, but glittering and wonderful in its determination and in its craft.
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 93 User Ratings
7.6
78% Positive
73 Ratings
73 Ratings
18% Mixed
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
3% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 93 User Ratings
7.6
78% Positive
73 Ratings
73 Ratings
18% Mixed
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
3% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Jun 19, 2013
One of the Coen brothers' finest achievements; a modern tribute to the classic noir films of old, dripping in atmosphere and masterful cinematography. Billy Bob Thornton is fantastic, as is Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini gives a very charming and Tony Soprano-esque performance. The period detail is extremely authentic, the costumes, settings and props together creating a convincing and realistic recreation of America in the late 40's. A must-see.
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To be sure, there are goofy flourishes here, the in-jokey, left-field rummies that are the Brothers Coen's stock-in-trade. But this is altogether a quieter, more philosophical sort of endeavor.
It's the latest and one of the best entries in a genre whose highest philosophical expression is the whiplash realization that the universe doesn't play fair.
What makes me respect The Man Who Wasn't There despite myself is the sense that the Coens want it to be about something that can't be described or defined.
Thornton seems born to play the sort of slow-witted poet of the mundane that the Coens find worthy of their condescending affection.
Ordinary moviegoers, on the other hand, may wonder what they're supposed to feel, apart from bored.
Nov 2, 2021
Joel and Ethan Coen could be the masters of noir. They show their ability once again with this beautifully shot movie even tough I'm not sure the black and white cinematography truly fits this movie.
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Aug 23, 2018
In this film, a crime is committed by the most unsuspecting individual: the barber. I already knew the Coen brothers' taste for black humor, evident in "Fargo", which was their first movie I watched. In this film, the humorous and almost sarcastic tone is still present, although its sometimes subtle and mixed with social criticism. Ed wasn't the "man who was not there" because he was a barber, but because society never gave him importance or noticed his existence. His profession ends up becoming a symbol of this. The story is set in the 1950s, so it plays with the ideas and mentality of the time, especially the exaggerated belief in extraterrestrials, just as it makes little allusions to the cinematic aesthetics of that era (B movies, sci-fi, cinema noir). Cinematography helped a lot at this point, with an elegant black and white, balanced tones and nice contrast. Regarding the actors, Billy Bob Thornton is to be congratulated because he has disengaged himself in this challenge with praises. Ed is one of a few people with few sayings and an unimpressive attitude, and the actor's performance, ranging from slightly funny to slightly scary, was very good, set in a gigantic physical and expressive self-control. On the opposite side is Michael Badalucco, in a histrionic and talkative character, where the actor was excellent. Frances McDormand was also fine, especially when she split the screen with Billy Bob, and James Gandolfini did what was expected of him. Scarlett Johansson did quite well in a character who is only innocent in appearance. Finally, a note of appreciation for the soundtrack, where classic works for piano are abundant.
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Jun 5, 2016
The Man Who Wasn't There did not live up to my personal expectations, but it is a solid neo-noir film from the Coen Brothers. Billy Bob Thornton and Frances McDormand do very well here, especially Thornton who perfectly plays the role as the subtle and quiet barber. As is typical of all of their films, The Man Who Wasn't There bears many trademarks of the Coens, both narratively through their use of witty and quirky humor at times. The cinematography from Roger Deakins is phenomenal and truly a wonder to behold at times. That said, the film never rises to the level of the Coens' typical works. Too slow and too distant, The Man Who Wasn't There never entertains to the level expected even if it is a technically brilliant film from beginning to end. I wanted to love this one, but it just felt too subtle and too lacking in substance to be a truly great film.
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Jun 1, 2012
Parfois, on ne sait pas trop à quoi s'attendre d'un film des frères Coen, ces derniers lorgnant souvent vers quelque chose d'inclassable. On pourrait bien dire que The Barber fait partie de cette catÃgorie. En effet, je trouve que le film ne fait pas grand chose pour aider le spectateur à entrer dans son univers, avec des scènes "bizarres" (sur les martiens!!), un manque de puissance dans les images... Et surtout, j'ai eu vraiment du mal à savoir s'il fallait regarder ce film avec sÃrieux ou bien avec un second degrÃ. Bref, ce n'est pas superbement dÃfinit... Par contre, et c'est là que The Barber l'emporte, le casting est excellent (imposant Billy Bob Thornton), il y a une ambiance musicale hypnotique et surtout un noir et blanc de toute beautÃ, qui nous permettent de ne pas dÃcrocher une seule seconde malgrà ce que j'ai dit prÃcÃdemment. Bref, un film à voir pour se faire une idÃe !
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Jul 3, 2018
the makers that weren't there for the audience.. The Man Who Wasn't There 2 Out Of 5 The Man Who Wasn't There is a plot driven feature that focuses a baffling mind of a dissatisfying middle aged man. The convoluted and over thought out monologues imbibes the essence from the soul of the feature and turns it into a repetitive slog which seems on loop for around 2 hours. It is short on technical aspects like background score, costume design, sound department, production design and editing although the cinematography; like the first thing the protagonist notes about a person is the hair for he is a barber, and the sound effects are amazing. The screenplay by the Coen brothers, isn't smart or ground breaking as it may seem for the characters are chewed off way too much for the audience to savor it and addition to that, the scrutiny isn't as convoluted as they think, it's just merely spread out into scattered bits and pieces which despite of being bound well enough, barely moves the muscle in the bigger picture. Joel Coen; the director, seems distracted and blurred out of the vision that he has aspired to set as it never attains a singularity on the terms and laws residing in his self-created bubble. The Man Who Wasn't There actually seems like the makers that weren't there for the audience as the feel disconnected throughout the course of it.
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Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 3 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Online Film Critics Society Awards
• 3 Wins & 6 Nominations
