Rating: 
Summary: Noir with a capital N
Review: It is a delight to find the Coens in top form and an equal delight to view their take on Film Noir. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a seemingly bland and simple barber named Ed Crane whose life is about to be turned upside down after he discovers his wife is having an affair with her boss.
The film starts off slowly, allowing plenty of time for the mood to develop and seep into the viewer's consciousness. The movie is filmed in black and white, a good choice for a story centered in small town life - and, of course, black and white film helps drive home the film noir mood. This is noir with a capital N, heavy on mood, insinuation and tone. You can almost feel the length of the slow-paced days, the heaviness of the hours as they creep by. Every shadow, every moment is tinged with foreboding.
Some viewers who are used to the fast pace of most films today might be put off by the slow, langourous pace of this one - but they'll be missing a rare, lovely treat of a film. They might also find Billy Bob Thornton's monotone voice and unemotional exterior a bit off-putting but I didn't. He is, after all, playing a man who fades into the woodwork, a man who people forget as soon as he walks out the door.
He is also a man who wants a different life than the one he's been living and sets out to make his dreams come true. Unfortunately, his efforts set off a complicated set of tragedies. Far from making the film dark and depressing (in spite of the black and white) these events reveal the precariousness of everyday life and the mysteries of the heart
Rating:
Summary: The Coens Strike Again
Review: The Man Who Wasn't There is a beautiful piece of movie making, and one of the best Coen brothers films, coming close second to their masterpiece Fargo.
It is a Film Noir par excellence, beautifully shot in black and white, adding a lot of atmosphere, and enhancing the 50s mood where the film is set.
The story is simple, a small time barber with a dull life, loses his dream of making it big in the new business venture of 'dry cleaning', dicovers his wife is cheating, kills his wife's lover, she is framed for the murder, and he is about to get away with it, but is caught and put on the chair..quite simple story, but with the Coen brothers, it becomes a very original film, and in my opinion, better than their first release, Blood Simple, another Film Noir Classic.
The secret lies in their masterful direction, the cinematography, and of course the brilliant acting. Billy Bob Thorton is wonderful, and although says little, his facial expressions speak volumes, and Tony Shalhoub is marvellous as the fast talking big shot lawyer.
What I believe adds to the film, is the music as well, and using Beethoven's sonata adds a lot of poignacy to the film.
So The Man Who wasn't There is a beautiful film, from very talented moviemakers.
Rating: 
Summary: Very strong noir-modèrne
Review: The Coen brothers have the reputation of being excellent, if not a bit quirky, filmmakers. "The Man Who Wasn't There" continues with this reputation. This film, at all once, parodies and worships the film noir genre. The main character, Ed Crane, is a barber in a small Californian town where everyone lives under the guise of perfection: A sort of Western Levittown. Crane (played by Billy Bob Thorton) speaks slowly, without varied emotion, while narrarating this film. The premise of the plot is Crane's attempt to "go in on" a dry cleaning business with a rather seedy passing-through businessman. When the business man is found dead, Crane is the primary suspect. Crane's wife is having an affair with her boss. When Crane eventually confronts him, he (Crane) also winds up killing him. In the typical noir style, there is a vague detachment of the protagonist from his surroundings: Regardless of what events may come forth, Crane's voice and disposition do not change the slightest. Probably the biggest downfall of "The Man Who Wasn't There" is the ending. It almost seems that the Coen brothers aren't satisfied with having created a strong film, and therefore they felt obligated to tinker with the ending. Unfortunately, this does not work. The ending leaves something to be desired: It does a poor job of ending the film, and mismatches the previous parts of the film (ie, like pairing plaid shirts and striped pants). The ending itself wasn't bad, it was simply that it deviated so much from the film's style that it essentially wrecked the ending of the film. While I do not believe this to be one of the Coen brother's strongest films, it must still be viewed. It is a relatively large deviation from many of their movies (that is, the typical dark humor). There must be artistic kudos given to them, as they have again demonstrated that they may adroitly expand into other "genres" of film, without ever entirely abandoning their style.
Rating:
Summary: Just A Little Off the Top
Review: This is one of those films that plants itself in your brain and keeps popping up. Deceptively simple, The Coen brothers' "The Man Who Wasn't There" tells the story of a man who is run over by life. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton) is the ultimate introvert, about as passive a man as you could imagine. When he finally decides to take action, he does something remarkably stupid that has fatal consequences for several people. Thornton's performance is stunning; he keeps us guessing- can he really be that passive and lacking in affect? Is there something going on in there? Can the irony of his life get any heavier? Things I loved: the black and white, post-war, film noir look; the portrayal of small-town 1949 America; Jon Polito's sleazy salesman (reminding me so much of Jackie Gleason); James Gandolfini's portrayal of a sleazebag likable in spite of himself; Frances McDormand as the domineering unfaithful wife (the scene where she asks her husband to shave her legs in the tub is amazing). Other things I love: the superb use of Beethoven's music (who would have ever guessed it would fit so perfectly in a film noir?); the usual Coen plot twists (the innocent girl wants to do what?); the settings of the department store and the barber shop; the "wave of the future"-dry cleaning. I bought the French version of the film from amazon.fr. The film title in France is "The Barber," and it won the prize at the Cannes 2001 film festival for Mise en Scène. The three-disc set has the film in black and white, a color version (which I haven't watched yet. I suspect the film will lose a lot of its power in color), and extensive bonus features-- audio commentary from the Cohen brothers and Billy Bob Thornton, a 49 minute documentary on film noir, an interview with the cinematographer, etc. Come to think of it, this is very much a French film: no car chases, explosions, special effects, just an intimate and profound look into a tragic soul.
Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat compelling from the Coens
Review: The Coen brothers are hit and miss at times, but this movie is compelling and quirky. Filmed in black and white, it follows Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), an assistant barber filling in his days the same way, without ceremony or excitement. Things stir into action when Crane meets a man who plants the seeds of investing in something new called dry cleaning. Events follow as Crane needs money to invest, and the owner of a department store (James Gandolfini) becomes central to the plot. The film is a mystery in some ways, but it is more a convoluted series of events in which Crane gets deeper and deeper into something he can't control. The film is a dark time capsule, it looks under the surface seeing greed, lust and repressed desires. The film rolls slowly along, not a classic by any means but something that stays with you. I agree with one reviewer, the incident in the car with the young girl doesn't ring true, but the rest is pretty believable. Thornton and Gandolfini are excellent, and Frances McDormand once again shows her range.
Rating:
Summary: The Coen Brothers Do It Again
Review: "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film release from 2001, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, and James Gandolfini. The Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar winning writers of "Fargo", prove that their creative minds express great and original entertainment. This gloomy themed movie keeps audiences interested in every scene, besides the black and white scenery. The plot of a barber who begins illegal dry cleaning, then becomes blackmailed, is brilliant. Its combination of mystery, drama, and suspense blends perfectly. The special effects, namely the UFO, add more interesting entertainment value. As the series of events unfold, the timely theme builds, leading to a surprising conclusion. Such movie quality offers a great unforgettable film experience. Billy Bob Thorton beautifully acts his role of Ed Gayne, the barber. Gayne's hard times are expressed greatly, which proves more difficult to accomplish because he doesn't speak often. His narration throughout the film offers another sense of mystery and gloomy effect. Frances McDormand's role as Gayne's wife is performed at her top throughout the film, expressing every emotion accurately. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is one of the few child stars with actual acting talent (she was 16). All other actors also perform their roles greatly. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film that will keep audiences entertained for a long time. There is no other film like it.
Rating:
Summary: Less is more
Review: The Man Who Wasn't There is the Coen brothers slow-moving film-noirish movie about a chain-smoking barber named Ed Crane (Billy Bob) who has an opportunity to get into the dry-cleaning business, and blackmail his wife's (Francis McDormand) lover (James Gandolfini) for the $10,000 needed to get into the deal with a dry-cleaner (Jon Polito). As with most Coen brothers movies, the simple plot gets involved in subleties that may help or hinder it. Billy Bob plays Ed with a sedate, reserved manner. Scarlet Johansson has a supporting role as a piano-playing young girl who Ed wants to help get lessons. She turns out to be only a mediocre player, and has no interest in a musical careeer. She does show her gratitude toward Ed in an oral, yet non-verbal way, however. There are no English subtitles which could have come in handy during the giggly commentary by the Coen's and Billy Bob. The "making of" documentary was a bit below average. The conversation with cinematographer Roger Deakins could have benefitted from his voice-over on top of clips as examples, rather than having to try to remember scenes he is talking about. A few deleted scenes, photo gallery, filmographies and a trailer round out the reasonably-priced DVD. Rated "R" for some neck-stabbing violence. Not for everyone, but fans of the Coen brothers, Billy Bob, or Scarlett Johansson should like it. Perhaps generous with 4 stars, I'm giving the movie and extras the benefit of the doubt.
Rating:
Summary: The Coen Brothers Do It Again
Review: "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film release from 2001, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, and James Gandolfini. The Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar winning writers of "Fargo", prove that their creative minds express great and original entertainment. This gloomy themed movie keeps audiences interested in every scene, besides the black and white scenery. The plot of a barber who begins illegal dry cleaning, then becomes blackmailed, is brilliant. Its combination of mystery, drama, and suspense blends perfectly. The special effects, namely the UFO, add more interesting entertainment value. As the series of events unfold, the timely theme builds, leading to a surprising conclusion. Such movie quality offers a great unforgettable film experience. Billy Bob Thorton beautifully acts his role of Ed Gayne, the barber. Gayne's hard times are expressed greatly, which proves more difficult to accomplish because he doesn't speak often. His narration throughout the film offers another sense of mystery and gloomy effect. Frances McDormand's role as Gayne's wife is performed at her top throughout the film, expressing every emotion accurately. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is one of the few child stars with actual acting talent (she was 16). All other actors also perform their roles greatly. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film that will keep audiences entertained for a long time. There is no other film like it.
Rating:
Summary: Modern Film Noir
Review: This is a movie that sneaks up on you as you watch it. Like all Coen brothers movies, on the surface it is a story about a relatively small lie that mushrooms out of control, but this film goes deeper than the simple morality tales many Coen brothers films are at heart. This is the study of a man who has become detached from society, and who becomes more detached as the film goes on. Its pace is deliberate and the film intentionally lacks any sort of dynamic range in tone, but stick with it - it's beautiful to look at (this is real cinematography - the play of light and composition on display in every frame), and if you can hold your attention to the end you will likely find the film a profound experience. Sad in a thoughtful way, the film does not manipulate you into tears and is at the end life affirming in an intangible way that's difficult to explain. Highly reccomended!
Rating:
Summary: Very strong noir-modèrne
Review: The Coen brothers have the reputation of being excellent, if not a bit quirky, filmmakers. "The Man Who Wasn't There" continues with this reputation. This film, at all once, parodies and worships the film noir genre. The main character, Ed Crane, is a barber in a small Californian town where everyone lives under the guise of perfection: A sort of Western Levittown. Crane (played by Billy Bob Thorton) speaks slowly, without varied emotion, while narrarating this film. The premise of the plot is Crane's attempt to "go in on" a dry cleaning business with a rather seedy passing-through businessman. When the business man is found dead, Crane is the primary suspect. Crane's wife is having an affair with her boss. When Crane eventually confronts him, he (Crane) also winds up killing him. In the typical noir style, there is a vague detachment of the protagonist from his surroundings: Regardless of what events may come forth, Crane's voice and disposition do not change the slightest. Probably the biggest downfall of "The Man Who Wasn't There" is the ending. It almost seems that the Coen brothers aren't satisfied with having created a strong film, and therefore they felt obligated to tinker with the ending. Unfortunately, this does not work. The ending leaves something to be desired: It does a poor job of ending the film, and mismatches the previous parts of the film (ie, like pairing plaid shirts and striped pants). The ending itself wasn't bad, it was simply that it deviated so much from the film's style that it essentially wrecked the ending of the film. While I do not believe this to be one of the Coen brother's strongest films, it must still be viewed. It is a relatively large deviation from many of their movies (that is, the typical dark humor). There must be artistic kudos given to them, as they have again demonstrated that they may adroitly expand into other "genres" of film, without ever entirely abandoning their style.
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