Miller's Crossing

Movie: Miller's Crossing
Language: English
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Joel Coen
Year: 1990
Watched on: 27 May 2005
Reviews:

Chandrakanth: ***1/2 (3.5/5)

Directed by Joel Coen, and written by him and his brother, Ethan, Miller's Crossing is a prohibition era gangster saga. Leo (Albert Finney) is an Irish Mafia don who controls an unnamed the city. With Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne) as his adviser, politicians police and bureaucrats in his pocket Leo is doing really well. Leo has a soft spot for a hooker Verna(Marcia Gay Harden). All the troubles start when Vernas brother Bernie (John Turturro), who is a bookie cheats another mafia boss Johnny Casper (Jon Polito). Casper wants Bernies head and Leo is not willing to have him that. Tom tries to keep the peace. Instead he finds himself caught in the middle of a war of ambushes and shifting allegiances where nothing is ever quite what it seems. The plot has very interesting twists and script is crisp. Performances are brilliant especially Albert Finney as Leo and Jon Polito as Casper. Gabriel Byrneas as Tom has done a good job too. Barry Sonnenfelds cinematography is rich and innovative. Despite many good things the movie somehow fails to recreate the prohibition era and none of the characters despite good performances stand out and demand viewers response. Overall a good movie, I enjoyed watching it.

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