Tumbleweeds, A Case Full Of Money And A Kept Promise

It's hard not to appreciate the talent of The Coen Brothers. For the majority of men I know "The Big Lebowski" sits high above all other's as "the coolest film ever!" Although I enjoyed "The Big Lebowski" it was only after seeing "The Man Who Wasn't There" that I fell under the spell of their film making. Shot purely in black & white, every scene is composed like a still photograph with amazing use and development of depth of field, subject and lighting. Yet somehow "No Country For Old Men" blows it out of the water on all counts. Where T.M.W.W.T. had a very strong score that added to the films tension, N.C.F.O.M. has only 1 scene with music, lasting less than a minute. The silence of the film is deafening, causing me to involuntarily hold my breath repeatidly through its duration. What to some may appear to be a slow drawn out story is a big part of the films success.



The patience they have with each character as they fumble and carniage ensues, reminds us of the time and energy each action and reaction takes in the real world. Along with the lack of music and speed, is an ever present lack of dialogue, stripping the story down to an amazing example of (almost) silent movie making. Conveying everything on a visual level works to perfection here, with The Coen Brothers again treating movie making as a succession of still photographs. This is what sets them apart from the crowd. This film needs to be seen on the big screen. Don't bother taking a date, as you'll lose all hope, as the world before you turns dark and all encompassing.