Miller's Crossing

Miller's Crossing
by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

List Price: $9.98
Our Price: $3.99
You Save: $5.99 (60%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.24 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases

DVD Cover Information

Movie Reviews of Miller's Crossing

Movie Review: A Truly Underrated Gangland Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars

Gabriel Byrne, in probably his best performance, stars as Tom Reagan, the wise right-hand man to Leo (Albert Finney), an Irish crime boss who is engaging in a turf war with his former protege turned rival Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito), the leader of the Italian mob. In the first scene of the film, Johnny wants Leo to order a hit on a nervous nelly named Bernie (a terrific John Turturro) who he claims has been selling out his fight bets to various others, making him lose money in the process. Leo refuses to do the favor for Caspar, since Bernie is the brother of his lover Verna (Marcia Gay Harden). Tom thinks that not killing Bernie is a bad idea, but remains loyal to Leo and his decision. However, Tom is also having an affair with Verna, and it begins to test his trust with Leo. Caspar, meanwhile, orders a hit on Leo which fails miserably (in a hilariously bloody sequence with the music of the Irish song "Danny Boy" playing in the background), but that is not going to stop Caspar from trying to claim the throne. When Tom finally confesses to Leo that he is sleeping with Verna, Leo is through with him for good. This leaves an open door though. Knowing all the angles from every side, Tom decides to play all of them, remaining loyal to Leo while getting all of his enemies out of the way, and to also pay off his enormous gambling debts.

This is about as far with the plot as I go. The plot for the movie is very complicated, and you may need a second viewing to figure out what's going on, but this is one of those rare movies that rewards repeated viewings. The plot itself is so well-written and it shows on screen. There's a surprise lurking around every corner, but it never detracts from the story like most movies do. It enhances the experience, which is the right way to go. And thankfully, the Coens don't sacrifice character development, which helps because we really do care about these characters (yes, even the bad ones).

The performances are all top-notch. Gabriel Byrne is perfect as Tom, a man who has the brains and chops to be a leader, and isn't as big of a sap as Leo, yet decides to stay in the shadows until called for. He also lets his flaws be known and doesn't want to be forgiven for them, which is refreshing considering that in this lifestyle, flaws are usually seen as a virtue. Albert Finney is both tough and vulnerable as Leo. He can be downright sweet with his friends, and be very vicious with a tommy gun if he gets his hands on one. Marcia Gay Harden is slinky and seductive as Verna - so much so that you can't tell what her motives are and which side she's on. John Tuturro is awesome as Bernie, who develops him as a nebbish fellow in way over his head at first, but makes him more devious later on in the film and he turns out to be important to the plot than we realized. Jon Polito is very funny as Caspar; J.E. Freeman is dark and menacing as Caspar's long-time friend and hit man Eddie Dane; and Steve Buscemi has a small cameo as Bernie's friend Mink, who also plays a vital part later on.

The set design and cinematography also warrant a mention. The camerawork is just stunning in this movie, showing the 1930s atmosphere in all its lurid glory, and evoking the feel of a Dick Tracy comic book at the same time. The buildings and stage sets also show what is was like at that time period, and makes you really feel like you're there. Heck, even the dialogue crackles with the zing and style of what they must've said back then (almost everyone in the movie asks at some point, "What's the rumpus?").

This is as close to perfect as a movie is ever gonna get, in my opinion. MILLER'S CROSSING is an absolute triumph in every sense of the word, and my only complaint about it is that it ends too soon like most great movies do. Highly recommended.

Summary of Miller's Crossing