Miller's Crossing (1990)
Review by Doc Ezra
Film:
DVD:

Written and Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen
Starring Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Jon Polito, J.E. Freeman, Albert Finney, and Steve Buscemi

Features:

• Trailer
  
• "Shooting Miller's Crossing: A Conversation with Barry Sonnenfeld"
  
• Interviews with cast
  
• Still gallery
  

Released by: Fox
Region: 1
Rating: R
Anamorphic: Yes

My Advice: Rent it. Fans of mob movies will want to keep it.

Tom Reagan (Byrne) is having a disagreement with his boss's management decisions. This in and of itself wouldn't be particularly unusual or interesting, except that his boss is Leo (Finney), premiere Irish mobster in town, and a man not to be crossed. The problem is this: one of Leo's business associates, Johnny Caspar (Polito), likes to gamble, but somebody is selling him out and ruining his bets. That somebody is sleazy underworld weasel Bernie Bernbaum (Turturro). Caspar, perhaps reasonably, wants Bernbaum's head on a plate, or at least for Leo to look the other way while he takes care of business. Unfortunately for Caspar, Leo is heavily involved with Bernie's sister Verna (Harden), and can't turn Bernie over without alienating his best girl.

Reagan thinks Bernbaum's more trouble than he's worth, and wants Leo to let him go to Caspar's thugs. His keen eye for the way these sorts of things play out is ostensibly why Leo relies on him as an advisor, but in this, he won't listen. See, Reagan knows that Verna's every bit as sleazy as her brother. How does he know this? He's sleeping with her. His falling out with his boss will lead to betrayals, a full-blown gang war between Leo and Caspar, a couple of murders, a couple of betrayals, some fisticuffs, and a whole crate of illegal whiskey (mostly consumed by Reagan).

This labryinthine tale of double-dealing, murder, and the mafia isn't what makes Miller's Crossing such a fine Prohibition-era mob movie. What sets it apart in an already crowded field are the little details, the quirks of character for which the Coen Brothers have become known, and the visually stunning cinematography, courtesy of Barry Sonnenfeld. The performances are also top-rate, particularly those of Turturro and Byrne. Polito could play Caspar in his sleep, but that doesn't really take anything away from him...he's just that solid a character actor, and is perfectly cast here. The weakest point is probably Harden, who still does a decent job, but her character gets so little real development that it isn't entirely her fault.

The movie is absolutely stunning to look at to boot. Sonnenfeld's work behind the lens is unbelievably good, and yet markedly different from the kinds of work that became his stock in trade in the years following this film. Here the visuals are full of shadows and rich, muted colors, but despite the somewhat somber palette, the scenes are incredibly rich, and never look flat or dull. All of this is discussed in great length in the bonus interview with Sonnenfeld, where he talks in minute detail about the choices and technical decisions that gave the movie such a distinctive look. There are a couple of moments where the subject matter gets away from him a bit, and the visuals get just a touch heavy-handed, but there are few such instances and they pass quickly.

Other than the interview with Sonnenfeld, there's not much here. The cast interviews are decent, but they're fairly stock press junket fare, and don't shed a ton of light on the process of the film. A commentary track would have been an excellent addition to the film, be it with the Coen Brothers or the cast members or even Sonnenfeld himself. Given the fairly dedicated fanbase that the Brothers Coen have, it seems a missed opportunity not to spruce this one up and throw it to them.

If you're a fan of organized crime flicks, particularly historical pieces from the heyday of the mob, then this is a must-see. Odds are good you'll want to own this one, despite the lack of features. And unless you're absolutely, violently opposed to crime movies on principle, this one merits a rental as an example of fine film-making and excellent acting. Don't miss it.