The masters of the genre twist, Joel and Ethan Coen, known mostly as the Coen Brothers, know exactly how to follow up on a hit. Releasing O Brother Where Art Thou? in 2000 to critical praise and award nominations as well as box office success, they decided that their next film was to be the slow burn neo-noir, a genre they are very comfortable in, The Man Who Wasn’t There. An ironic title as this is probably one of the least talked about or mentioned films in their catalogue. Unlike O’Brother, The Man Who Wasn’t There was not a box office success, nor did it really click with audiences, though critics on the whole admired it. Joel and Ethan did actually win Best Director at Cannes the year of release, a joint win with David Lynch for Mulholland Drive, but its a fact that is quietly forgotten about. The cinematography was universally praised and definitely reflected in the nominations for their frequent collaborator Roger Deakins, yet apart from these facts, the film has remained a piece of background history. Obviously seeing something in the film and believing it deserved its turn in the spotlight, the Criterion Collection has chosen to release a 4K version, giving fans of the Coens a chance to revisit it as well as curious new viewers to witness this unusual yet straightforward film.
Full review over at Filmhounds.