Blood Simple Movie Review

Blood Simple put the Coen Brothers on the map and deservedly so. M. Emmet Walsh is the slimiest private investigator you can possibly imagine, or he wouldn't have accepted an assignment to murder the lover (John Getz) of Dan Hedaya's wife, newcomer Frances McDormand. When this flick first came out, movie buffs said it was the Citizen Kane of film noir, and it did re-invent much of what we'd expected to see and hear in film-noir. Terrific performances, dazzling camera work, a passionate understanding of the genre, and a gleeful propensity to knock its viewers right out of their seats made Blood Simple a revolutionary picture in many ways. Unlike the 1981 neo-noir Body Heat, Blood Simple is not an homage, but a fiercely original work in every way. Dead men may wear yellow, but real detectives don't!

1985 (R) 96m/C John Getz, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya, Frances McDormand, Samm-Art Williams; D: Joel Coen; W: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen; C: Barry Sonnenfeld; M: Carter Burwell. Independent Spirit Awards ‘86: Best Actor (Walsh), Best Director (Coen); Sundance Film Festival ‘85: Grand Jury Prize. VHS, LV, Closed Caption