Barton Fink

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Barton Fink

R

Released Aug 1, 1991

1h 56m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

89%

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66 Reviews

89%

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25,000+ Ratings

Set in 1941, an intellectual New York playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) accepts an offer to write movie scripts in L.A. He finds himself with writer's block when required to do a B-movie script. His neighbor tries to help, but he continues to struggle as a bizarre sequence of events distracts him.

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Critics Consensus

Twisty and unsettling, the Coen brothers' satirical tale of a 1940s playwright struggling with writer's block is packed with their trademark sense of humor and terrific performances from its cast.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

Barton Fink is one for the record books.

Apr 6, 2020

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

It's at its best when young Barton Fink simply stares at a picture of a bathing beauty contemplating the ocean -- a Hollywood dream.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 16, 2013

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Gnomic, claustrophobic, hallucinatory, just plain weird, it is the kind of movie critics can soak up thousands of words analyzing and cinephiles can soak up at least three espressos arguing their way through.

Oct 13, 2009

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

A gorgeously designed paranoid parable packed with sharp detail, great in-jokes and an Oscar-nominated performance by Michael Lerner as the studio mogul from hell.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2025

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Adrian Martin

Film Critic: Adrian Martin

The film has an anything-might-happen-next air and a faith in strange associative leaps that take the plot in unforeseen directions.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 30, 2025

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Barton Fink seems to be the best film of the year... but it dissolves without leaving a trace, turning into the biggest deception of the year. [Full review in Spanish]

Dec 8, 2022

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Tom F

B-game Coen Bros is still worth an attentive watch.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/25

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grain j

Interesting movie, many moments feel surreal or symbolistic, one of the best Coen brothers movies

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/17/25

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Mitch B

An atmospheric and emotional story and it's weird but sooo immersive. I liked John Goodman's performance.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

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Jacob B

L.A. noir as only the Brothers could conjure. One of the Cohen Brothers very best!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/03/25

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Audience Member

My new favourite movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

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David F

This film about a New York playwright who takes his talents to Hollywood at the invitation of a studio boss features some tremendously funny satire of Hollywood studio bosses and their studio boss philosophy. It also has some great jokes about screenwriters and their place in Hollywood. Alongside that, there is a very creepy, slow-moving plot about a seedy hotel, a serial killer, and writers block that takes practically the whole movie to go anywhere and where it goes is pretty weird. The film does well on setting, character, and off-beat humour, but the plot will satisfy some and dissatisfy some others.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

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Joel Coen

Director

John Turturro

Barton Fink

John Goodman

Charlie Meadows

Judy Davis

Audrey Taylor

Michael Lerner

Jack Lipnick

John Mahoney

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Synopsis

Set in 1941, an intellectual New York playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) accepts an offer to write movie scripts in L.A. He finds himself with writer's block when required to do a B-movie script. His neighbor tries to help, but he continues to struggle as a bizarre sequence of events distracts him.

Director: Joel Coen
Producer: Ethan Coen, Graham Place
Screenwriter: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Circle Films, Inc., Working Title Films
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 1991, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.7M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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