From the Coen brothers comes this extremely dark entry in the gangster movie sweepstakes of 1990. Jewish, Italian, and Irish mobsters spin webs of deceit, protection, and revenge over themselves and their families. Byrne is the protagonist, but no hero, being as deeply flawed as the men he battles. Harden stuns as the woman who sleeps with Byrne and his boss, Finney, in hopes of a better life and protection for her small-time crook brother. Visually exhilarating, excellently acted and perfectly paced.
One of those few movies that are simply perfect in every way. The Coen brothers have created (another) masterpiece--the script is lyrical, and the actors deliver their lines with graceful emotion (most notably of which is Gabriel Byrne, whose subtle performance is fascinating); every shot and camera angle is a work of art, and is meshed together perfectly by sharp editing and a superb soundtrack.
Best Coen movie ever CoolerKing at 2008-04-04 11:34:01
There's just not an ounce of fat in this film. About as near-perfect as they come. The dialogue is like hardboiled blood poetry, and the look and mood are killer. Tremendous performances throughout, and the "Danny Boy" scene with Albert Finney getting fancy with a tommy gun is a classic.