Blood Simple: A Coen brother film that entertains tragically and gruesomely, and lets us know why we should all have blinds on our windows—or at least be really good at throwing shoes.

From its film noir-esque dramatic irony and chiaroscuro technique, to the wide-eyed naivety of Frances McDormand’s Abby, to the brute violence and unsettlingly catchy soundtrack, Blood Simple is a Cohen brother classic. The suspenseful action and creepy nuances of the main characters will keep you hooked until the last gunshot.

 

 

            Caught up in a not-so-typical love triangle, Abby and her lover Ray (John Getz) are troubled by the antics of her bar owner husband Marty (Dan Hedaya), who is also Ray’s boss and a troubled man. The fervor with which both Ray and Marty act out for Abby centers her in the plot as a modern-day femme fatale. Amidst all the missed evidence, misconstrued conversations, and misplaced trust, Abby’s character arc is both saddening and empowering. McDormand’s portrayal of Abby—an unhappily wed, insecure, deer-in-headlights kind of woman—creates empathy in the viewer and establishes purpose in the plot. Without McDormand’s delicate movements and implied loveliness, Ray and Marty’s passion would be unfounded. 

 

            In a fit of rage, jealousy, and despair, Marty hires a detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to investigate the affair and rid his life of lost love and betrayal. However, his own greediness and seedy nature complicate the plot in a way that he does not expect. Also, there are scenes in which Abby and Marty lose their thoughts in pictures of their tainted marriage. These ambiguous scenes set a powerful mood for the film, suggesting that neither one knows what they really want or how to go about attaining it. The tragic series of events that follow the initial set-up make us wish that these people would all stop mumbling nonsense to each other and get the facts straight—although the conversations they have only serve to add more intrigue and mystery to their characters. 

            Furthermore, detective Visser has his own agenda to con Marty, Ray, and Abby that manifests itself in a complicated and sloppy criminal scheme. M. Emmet Walsh, much like Frances McDormand, is a key actor in this film. Visser is the cause of much of the confusion and fear that is sparked in each character, although he lurks in the shadows as an unknown presence for much of the film. His character’s sweaty, I-have-a-fly-on-my-face-but-I-don’t-care demeanor makes his deplorable actions so much more intriguing and eerie. The contrast between Abby’s bright but troubled persona and Visser’s detestable appearance and actions ultimately makes for an intense and dramatic showdown. This confrontation is one of the most memorable scenes in the film, and one of the most visually and aesthetically stimulating.

  

            The tone of the film is dark and gritty, and much of the action takes place at night or inside. The darkness is used to create an ominous feeling of foreshadowing and danger. We are drawn into these scenes, wondering who or what is behind the corner watching us—and why does no one cover their windows these days? Contrastingly, harsh and unforgiving lighting in some scenes heightens the drama and makes us uncomfortable but drawn into the storyline. A scene with Marty and Visser is made more unsettling by a loud rotating fan, ugly fluorescent lighting, and a bunch of dead fish that no one bothers to throw away. Also, soft morning light casts a feeling of distance and somber shock in scenes of moral dilemma and confusion. We watch as Ray smokes a cigarette in the morning, contemplating his actions for the day and from the night before—and we nervously laugh as his car doesn’t start. The audience becomes a character in the film, aware of the action but just as lost in the visual representation as the onscreen characters are in their purpose.

            As the Cohen brothers’ first film, Blood Simple is an entertaining cinematic experience. Although the premise is presented early in the film, the continual build-up of action and lack of sensible communication between the characters creates a tension that the viewer cannot resist. The emotional investment in the characters creates intrigue and a sense of yearning to see how the conflict is resolved. The film reads like a genre film noir, but the atypical progression of events, lack of moral resolve, and tense, dry humor serve to make the film more believable and watchable. Some may be bored by the lack of car chases or volume of gunshots, or annoyed by the self-conscious style of the Cohen brothers, but the film is witty, entertaining, and pleasantly gruesome. This unique twist on a genre film is what makes the Cohen brothers’ independent films works of art. The use of camera angles, lighting, music, and production design coalesce into a film that is somehow a love story, a murder mystery, and a beautiful tragedy all at once.