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Blood Simple

Play trailer Poster for Blood Simple R 1984 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 113 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
"Blood Simple" was the first feature film from Joel and Ethan Coen. This is the newly restored and re-edited director's cut of the film, introduced by Mortimer Young. The stylish crime thriller premiered at film festivals in 1984. "Blood Simple" begins deep in the heart of Texas, where a jealous saloon owner hires a cheap divorce detective to kill the saloon owner's younger wife and her bartender lover. But the detective gets a better idea: he follows the two lovers, and...
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Blood Simple

Blood Simple

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Critics Consensus

Brutally violent and shockingly funny in equal measure, Blood Simple offers early evidence of the Coen brothers' twisted sensibilities and filmmaking ingenuity.

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Critics Reviews

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Jay Scott Globe and Mail 12/06/2022
Blood Simple is entirely self-concious, and good for it. Go to Full Review Adam Nayman The Ringer 04/15/2019
What holds up best about Blood Simple, besides its vice-tight plotting and the rotten charisma of M. Emmet Walsh's evil, manipulative private eye Visser, is the sheer exuberance of the Coens's visual style. Go to Full Review Simran Hans Observer (UK) 10/08/2017
4/5
Blood Simple is a reminder that the Coens are formalist film-makers first, with keen noses for composition and taut, structured storytelling, as well as masters of black comedy. Go to Full Review Jordon Searle Loud and Clear Reviews Oct 2
5/5
One of the most engaging crime films of all time. Go to Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times Aug 19
4/5
A modern classic. Go to Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal Jan 27
4/5
It’s easy to presume Joel and Ethan Coen had to grow into their exceptional attunement to the invisible forces of the universe that either jolt us awake or lull us into deceptively comforting slumber. Nope. They've been in command of that from the jump. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nick M. @5BaggersOnly Nov 8 Solid Cohen brothers movie. See more Fritz L. @FritzL Nov 1 MY ALL TIME FAVORITE FILM. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT MORE THAN ONCE, THE COENS MADE A BEAUTIFUL LAYER CAKE. See more Romas M Sep 2 Greetings from Lithuania. The first film ever made by great Coen brothers was "Blood Simple" (1984). It is impossible to properly review and experience this film when watching it for a first time in 2025. It is because of a future films there directors made were far more brilliant, and many directors tried to copy or mimic their style during decades. Therefore i have seen many films with similar theme and style. And only recently watched "Blood Simple". I'm sure that if seen it for the first time in 1984, this film would have hit me way harder. "Blood Simple" is a memorable film because of its story, which is very darkly is funny. It features a first time role of future multiple Oscars winner Frances McDormand. Screenplay was very good. This film is a very slow burning kinda noir drama / thriller. It works for what its going for, but its a rough around the edges film as well. See more Justin T Jul 29 This is a tragic black comedy of a thriller. It involves a lot of thought which means that it can be slow in places and requires some patience. The ending is very good and well done. Sadly up until the ending I just wanted something to happen. The production and so on was all really good as you might expect. I just can’t help but think that I wasn’t the right audience for the film, I really felt like it needed something more engaging, be it violence, characters, action, anything so that it is less pondering. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Jul 13 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Alain E @AlainE Jul 4 Still remains very strong if you like this type of cynical entertainment. The introduction says that it has been reedited and I guess I will have find my old DVD to see what changes were made. Especially enjoyable is the late Michael Emmet Walsh. See more Read all reviews
Blood Simple

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Cast & Crew

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Joel Coen

Director

John Getz

Ray

Frances McDormand

Abby

M. Emmet Walsh

Private Detective

Dan Hedaya

Julian Marty

Samm-Art Williams

Meurice

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Blood Simple

Blood Simple (1984) Blood Simple (1984) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis "Blood Simple" was the first feature film from Joel and Ethan Coen. This is the newly restored and re-edited director's cut of the film, introduced by Mortimer Young. The stylish crime thriller premiered at film festivals in 1984. "Blood Simple" begins deep in the heart of Texas, where a jealous saloon owner hires a cheap divorce detective to kill the saloon owner's younger wife and her bartender lover. But the detective gets a better idea: he follows the two lovers, and...
Director
Joel Coen
Producer
Ethan Coen
Screenwriter
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Distributor
USA Films
Production Co
River Road
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 7, 1984, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jul 1, 2016
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.7M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Stereo
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