'Poetic' gangster film starring two forgotten Hollywood legends with near perfect rating

Daily Record

15-05-2025

Viewers are claiming it is one of the greatest films of all time with "terrific" performances from the star-studded cast
Decades since its release, this 1990 movie is considered to be an "all-time classic" by viewers, as one of many films made by successful sibling duo the Coen Brothers.
The American gangster movie Miller's Crossing was created by Joel and Ethan Coen, the famous filmmaking brothers known for their cross-genre film style in the likes of No Country for Old Men and Fargo. Despite their impressive catalogue, audiences are calling this film the directors' "greatest", standing strong as a "hallmark" of the noir genre.
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A Rotten Tomatoes reviewer claims: "All-time classic. This has all the hallmarks of a noir. The script is very complicated but never convoluted to the point where you can't follow it, which is a testament to the masterful editing. My only real complaint is while the music is good, I wish it was used a bit more, but this really is never dry. Everyone should give this a try once."
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Its story follows two rival gangs, set during the 1929 Prohibition, as Irish mob boss Leo O'Bannon, played by Albert Finney, sets off a war between the two as he protects his girlfriend's brother, Bernie, who has found himself in some trouble with the other group. What he doesn't know is that his girlfriend is having an affair with his partner-in-crime, Tom Reagan, played by Gabriel Byrne.
Despite Tom's attempts to feed the brother Bernie to the wolves, Leo trusts in his decision to protect him. But his Italian gangster enemy Johnny Caspar is growing in power, and he needs the help from his right-hand man now more than ever; that is, until he finds out he's been sleeping with his girlfriend.
Sprinkled with dark humour and shocking violence, the film poses the big question of whether Tom really has a heart. He is cast out from the gang and stuck in the middle of two unforgiving parties, as he's ordered to kill Bernie himself, but can he actually go through with it?
One viewer writes: "This may be one of the best gangster films I have ever seen. There's not much action, but the drama and acting are so on point. Gabriel Byrne and John Turturro are so freakin' good in this film. The Coen Brothers always make great movies, and this may be their biggest hidden gem."
While another said: "The violence, like the rest of Miller's Crossing, is poetically staged and strangely tasteful. But the movie's real firepower is the staccato slang of its script."
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Another standout of the film is its impressive performance from Hollywood legend Gabriel Byrne, best known for his roles in Hereditary, Little Women and the TV series In Treatment. He is considered by many to be one of the best actors never to have received an Oscar nomination but has many accolades to his name.
Starring alongside him are John Turturro and Jon Polito, whose accomplished career spanned 35 years in film and landed him over 220 credits on the big screen. It's their timeless acting in the film that has left viewers leaving five-star rave reviews.
One person wrote: "With dialogue so sharp it should come with a safety warning, this movie is amazing. If I had to declare my favourite film across all genres, this would be a very strong contender. Wonderful performances from a truly super cast...so many standout scenes... and that script...close to perfect."
While another viewer shared: "One of the greatest noir films of all time, Miller's Crossing is probably the Coens' greatest film. Byrne's performance is spellbinding and stands out among terrific performances by Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, and Steve Buscemi. Brilliantly shot, blocked, and edited realisation of a great screenplay, it's one of the 100 greatest films of all time."
To get to grips with the highly acclaimed gangster movie Miller's Crossing, you can stream it now on Amazon Prime.