FILM CHALLENGE: 124) The Man Who Wasn't There

124) The Man Who Wasn't There

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

Year: 2001

Plot Summary: A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.

Those who say that the traditional film noir died in the late 1950s after Orson Welles made the terrific Touch Of Evil are mistaken. Sure, it may have been away for the last 50 years, but it's back alive and well in the Coen Brothers' brilliant The Man Who Wasn't There. From the themes of corruption, infidelity and moral ambiguity to the gorgeous use of black and white, canted angles and heavy contrasts it has everything that film noir buffs like myself fell in love with when watching the likes of Double Indemnity and The Big Sleep. Even more, the Coen Brothers bring out the Raymond Chandler in them, crafting a sharp script with dialogue delivered like machine gun fire.

However, this isn't just a replica of an old film noir movie. As you'd expect from the Oscar winning film-makers, they are able to add their own unique style to the picture which features gloriously dark and dead pan humour, a twisted set of dense characters, a quirky sense of irony, and mysterious symbolism somehow related to alien abduction. Therefore, this makes for a truly one-of-a-kind film noir that, despite it's obvious influences in the style, is unlike anything else the genre has ever produced.

Unfortunately, the narrative's grip weakens as the film goes on and The Man Who Wasn't There doesn't quite sustain your involvement, but if there's one reason you'll continue to watch it, then it's the breathtaking cinematography from Roger Deakins. Deakins is the single most talented man in his field and, after watching this, I defy anyone to disagree as he creates beautiful imagery that is atmospheric and haunting at the same time.

It's not up their with their finest work, but The Man Who Wasn't There is nonetheless an entertaining, intelligent and visually stunning work of art that will please not only us noir fanatics, but anyone looking for a thrilling story with an edge that most Hollywood filmmakers couldn't dream of having.

4/5

By Daniel Sarath with 1 comment