Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Jazz Inmate (R) on February 20, 2008 at 01:07:43

In Reply to: RE: "Barton Fink," "Miller's Crossing," "The Man Who Wasn't There," posted by tinear on February 19, 2008 at 18:10:27

No doubt there is a sardonic wit that runs through their films. Even in Miller's Crossing, when Turturro is pleading for his life, it's a very thin line between his acting there and outright farce. I didn't say the comedy ruined anything. The first time I ran through Fargo, I didn't even catch the humor. Now I can't see Buscemi's face without cracking up. As in Shakespeare, those levity devices make the tragedy easier to take and let's face it: part of the Coens' gift is their sense of humor and timing. But to really tackle a story like No Country, they needed to dispense with it, and I'm glad they did. Had they made this film in the 90s, scenes like the coin flip scene in the convenience store would have been peppered with humor. Instead, the Coens made sure the drama escalated with no hint of levity. That is a great achievement.

As for debasing humanity, far from it. The protagonist and Llewelyn and his wife each faced inhumanity without giving in to it. Evil can never be defeated, but when you're no longer gung-ho to face it and fight it, it's time to step aside. That was part of the message of the film.

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"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back." -Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982)

Edits: 02/20/08   02/20/08