Discuss: What is the Best Coen Brothers Movie?

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 12, 2008

If there is one thing we can’t seem to stay away from here at FSR, it is a good discussion about what is the best or the worst movie in any particular category — the discussion, and the argument and inevitable fist-fights that follow are like our own version of crack. With that said, we love nothing more than to open up these discussions to all of you, the faithful readers who keep us employed — sort of.

This week I have been thinking a lot about the Brothers Coen, Joel and Ethan. Their latest film Burn After Reading made a stop in Toronto for a small film festival launch last weekend before it hits theaters this weekend, and all signs seem to be pointing toward a winner. Personally, I was thoroughly entertained by the film this week, finding it to be a light, fun departure from the overwhelming experience that was No Country for Old Men. Perhaps this was the Coen Brothers’ way of taking a filmmaking vacation — do the movie that matters, then do the movie that’s fun. It seems to be their formula. They did almost the exact same thing with Fargo, following it with The Big Lebowski. Then they made O Brother, Where Art Thou? and followed it with Intolerable Cruelty. They aren’t as much “up and down” as they are “back and forth,” from one tone to another — it is what keeps them fresh, what keeps them interesting.

So then I got to thinking — what is the Coen Brothers’ best film? It certainly isn’t Burn After Reading. It’s a good movie, perhaps even well above-average, but certainly not the pinnacle of their work. The easy answer might be to say No Country for Old Men, as it was their most celebrated film. But to go with No Country would be to overlook the likes of Fargo and Miller’s Crossing, two fantastic films that deserve recognition. Also, in my mind, it is criminal to overlook The Big Lebowski, as it is not only one of my favorite Coen Bros. movie, but one of my favorite films of all-time, hands down, as is Raising Arizona.

So as you can see, it’s a tough task. The filmography of Joel and Ethan Coen is deep, rich with original and clever films that have all left their mark. But even though the question is tough, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a healthy debate. So I leave it up to all of you…

What is the best Coen Brothers movie?


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  • Troy
    The Big Lebowski.

    The rest suck, the end.
  • I know that no one else agrees with this, but my favorite has always been Barton Fink. Everything works. John Goodman is as good as I've ever seen him, and the crumbling hotel is an incredible, stylistic metaphor for the soul of Hollywood. Or any business really. Plus, they really work hard to put their characters into terrible situations.

    If I had to rank, which I do.

    Barton Fink
    No Country
    Lebowski
    Miller's Crossing
    Fargo
    O Brother
    Blood Simple.
    The rest...
  • Oh, come on now Troy -- you can't just come in and say "the rest suck"... I agree on The Big Lebowski, but I have no idea why you would say the rest suck. Have you not seen any of their other movies, or something?
  • CapKwik
    The Big Lebowski is an awesome movie. I have the special edition from 2 years ago, but I couldn't resist running out and getting the bowling ball collectors edition this week. My top 4 of theirs are:

    The Big Lebowski
    No Country for Old Men
    Fargo
    O Brother, Where Art Thou?
  • Anytime someone makes a blanket comment like "the rest suck", all credibility is thrown out.

    However, I must agree about Lebowski. It really is one of my personal favorite movies of all time. It's hard not to discuss that movie when talking about the Coen brothers' best efforts.
  • Jeff
    I love the Coen Bros. Their best film is probably The Big Lebowski, but I just want to go public with one thing: I liked No Country for Old Men, but I think Intolerable Cruelty is a much better film. It personally resonates with me much more than NCFOM did, and it always puts me in a good mood and makes me happy. I realize that NCFOM wasn't trying to do that, and it's not a requisite that any movie do that, but NCFOM did not effect or engage me emotionally or intellectually in the ways that Big Lebowski, Barton Fink, Fargo, Intolerable Cruelty, and Raising Arizona did.
  • JMoney
    I have to abstain from answering because i havn't seen Miller's Crossing. And I can't seem to find it anywhere on dvd, not at HMV, Best Buy, or even Columbia House for frig sakes.


    Can anyone let me know where i can pick it up on dvd?
  • Not surprisingly, Cole is way off base with his ranking. The correct order of best to worst is as follows:

    The Big Lebowski
    No Country For Old Men
    Fargo
    The Hudsucker Proxy
    Blood Simple
    Burn After Reading
    Barton Fink
    Raising Arizona
    The Ladykillers
    O Brother Where Art Thou
    Intolerable Cruelty
    The Man Who Wasn't There
    Millers Crossing
  • Kevin Greta
    You're a straight jacktard with Miller Crossing being the worst. Lady Killers is. It might as well not be a Coen movie. MORONNNNNNNNNNNNN!
  • Nick C
    My personal favorite is Miller's Crossing.

    If I was to go with a Top 5 after that I'd say it goes: Big Lebowski. Barton Fink. Blood
    Simple. Fargo. Raising Arizona. I'd also like to defend The Ladykillers, since I'm the only
    person I know who thinks it's hysterical.
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