Leave it to Joel and Ethan Coen to not only pay expert homage to the film noir genre, but darn near perfect it. They’ve dabbled in this territory before, mainly with Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink and Fargo, but this time their stylistic irony is lightened by a host of empathetic performances. Frances McDormand, James Gandolfini, Scarlett Johannson and Michael Badalucco all shine in supporting roles, but it’s Billy Bob Thornton’s title turn that distinguishes the film. His morose barber – a perennial pushover whose blackmailing scheme unravels the lives of everyone around him – is a tragic character worthy of Shakespeare, a melancholy spirit who seems to be haunting his own life.
