I really enjoyed this throwback crime drama. Paired with The Good German, which I watched recently, it really captured a classic movie look without the dated feel that I find hard to watch. The pacing is slow (shocker. Coen.) but I enjoyed the twists and turns. I thought all the performances were spot on. I can see how this wouldn't be for everyone because of the dry narrative by Thornton, the black and white photography and the slow pacing.

OK. Meet Ed Crane. Ed is a so-so barber from Smalltown, California - circa 1949._____ Ed's a real dead-faced, chain-smoking son-of-a-sod who's forever dropping his cigarette ash onto the heads of his customers while he robotically cuts their hair._____ Even though Ed's the title character in this film he barely utters a single word throughout the entire length of this picture. Ed's inability to get involved in even the simplest of conversations is unbelievably annoying. But it seems that none of the other characters in this screwy film seem to mind Ed's puzzling lapses into dead silence. _____ Even though Ed's character may not have much to gab about to those around him, he literally never shuts his trap when it comes to his voice-over narration nonsense. I can't begin to tell you how stupid I found the effect of this whole voice-over business to be._____ Well, eventually Ed, the chain-smoking mute, gets involved in murder and to prove what a total heel he really is, allows his wife to take the rap for it. _____ All in all, The Man Who Wasn't There was worthless, mediocre entertainment._____ Filmed in b&w.

Just not up to the usual Coen standard of excellence.