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Description
Leo is the benevolent Irish gangster and political boss who rules an Easter city with the help of Tom, his trusted lieutenant and counselor. But their control of the town is challenged by an over-reaching Italian underboss and his ruthless henchman. Just as this threat erupts, Leo and Tom have a falling out over the same woman. Tom, caught in the jaws of a gangland violent outcome.
Arguably the best film by Joel and Ethan Coen, the 1990 Miller's Crossing stars Gabriel Byrne as Tom, a loyal lieutenant of a crime boss named Leo (Albert Finney) who is in a Prohibition-era turf war with his major rival, Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito). A man of principle, Tom nevertheless is romantically involved with Leo's lover (Marcia Gay Harden), whose screwy brother (John Turturro) escapes a hit ordered by Caspar only to become Tom's problem. Making matters worse, Tom has outstanding gambling debts he can't pay, which keeps him in regular touch with a punishing enforcer. With all the energy the Coens put into their films, and all their focused appreciation of genre conventions and rules, and all their efforts to turn their movies into ironic appreciations of archetypes in American fiction, they never got their formula so right as with Miller's Crossing. With its Hammett-like dialogue and Byzantine plot and moral chaos mitigated by one hero's personal code, the film so transcends its self-scrutiny as a retro-crime thriller that it is a deserved classic in its own right. --Tom Keogh
Customer Review:A1TEMNM9ZEOLJ6
Rating: 
Summary: Quite unique, but a muddled mess
I could not understand about half the wordy script here, though the outline of the plot becomes more or less clear after awhile. This is probably one of those films that benefits from multiple viewings, but who has time for that? I still have no idea exactly what the role of John Turturro was supposed to be. In one of the extras, someone says they thought this was a comedy when they first read it, and I can see why. Both the rival crime bosses are almost cartoonish in their anger. The look of certain scenes veers towards the exaggerated look of a cartoon at times, too. In fairness, I did get through this in one sitting, which is rare. I wouldn't call it the best gangster flick ever made, as some say. It is far from that. It is very hard to understand. Still, you will want to see if you agree or if you join the majority who think this was some kind of brilliant inspiration. Not me.
Customer Review:ACVNM2BQTUU5H
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best gangster flicks ever made. Period.
"Miller's Crossing" is definitely one of the top ten, if not top five, gangster films ever made. My only question is why isn't this incredible movie on Blu-ray yet?
Customer Review:AANV7KK7SDCQF
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Summary: Fantastic Movie
This movie was utterly fantastic! The cast was amazing and although this film has a complicated plot, it was very well done. I bought this film as a part of a philosophy class and it was perfect. This film is a prime example Aristotle's philosophy. The only thing that I would recommend is that if you view this film or buy this film, pay attention to the dialogue because it helps explain what is going on in the story!
Customer Review:A2G3U6AM951P6D
Rating: 
Summary: Nobody knows anybody. Not that well.
Can the Coen brothers make a bad movie? I haven't seen it yet.
Saying that Miller's Crossing is "a gangster movie", or is "about gangsters" is like saying that War and Peace is "about" Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Yes, the story involves Gabriel Byrne as a smart-mouthed young assistant to the head gangster (Albert Finney)--and who just happens to be sleeping with the boss's main squeeze (Marcia Gay Harden). But the movie is really about honesty--a question of ethics, as the head of the rival mob complains when he is undercut by a third rival--and how well can we really now someone. Byrne's character throws off the line that serves as my review title in his typical hard-boiled delivery--but we come to realize that it is a serious question for him when he is faced with killing the brother of the boss's--and his--mistress to prove his loyalty to his new boss. Byrne can't do it; as his mark (John Turturro) begs for his life:
"You don't bump guys! You're not like those animals back there. It's not right, Tom! They can't make us do this. It's the wrong situation, they can't make us different people than we are."
While we learn more about each character, as we look through Byrne's eyes, we never really do know them not that well.
We do learn that in the 30's, men looked good in hats, gangsters had free reign of city streets and governments, and their armament consisted of everything up to and including tripod-mounted machine guns! The violence can be sudden and harsh, but is softened by the sharp dialogue and beautiful directorial work of the Coens. Don't miss the scene involving a small boy, his dog, and an askew toupee. The camera angles, framing, cuts, and timing are perfect, and turn a throw-away scene into a 30-second gem. The movie is full of little moments like this.
In the end, Miller's Crossing works as gangster movie, as comedy, as character play, as period piece, and as a glance in the mirror at someone we may not know. Not that well.
Customer Review:A4PPZNQF1X2IY
Rating:
Summary: Nice movie, great cast, decent plot and dialogue...not genius
This is a nice enough movie. Byrne is well cast and Finney is splendid as always and that guy who played the hotheaded Italian stole all his scenes; excellent. However, you're never convinced the Coens had a handle on how bosses really operated. Furthermore, the events, break-ins, and crack downs seem contrived and orchestrated rather than actual. The plot keeps you thinking, but there is too much vagueness, and the anti-hero survives by dumbluck or the incompetence of his dupes, rather than by real cleverness. Too much of the love interest triangle is bland and feels phony as well. Overall, the movie feels more cartoonish than cutting edge, a like too much Dick Tracy. Just an average flick I'd say.
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