To celebrate the release of the Coen Brothers’ melodically masterful Inside Llewyn Davis this week, we take time to reflect on the ten best moments from their expansive and unquestionably beloved filmography, highlighting why they are such a valid and unique voice in independent American filmmaking.
Joel & Ethan have penned and directed a film in almost every major genre so whittling down just a handful of mere scenes is a strenuous task but we are up for the challenge. So without further ado, let’s get this list started:
10. The Hat – Miller’s Crossing (1990)
The Coens’ films are so celebrated because of the effortless nature of their leading characters, and fewer examples are better than of Gabriel Byrne’s whip-smart gangster Tom in their most densely plotted picture, Miller’s Crossing.
During a discussion in which he recalls a dream about a bowler hat floating away in the wind only to be lost in the forest, he closes with a brilliantly judged line which goes on to truly render his character – “It stayed a hat. And no, I didn’t chase it. There’s nothin’ more foolish then a man chasing his own hat.”
