Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Blood Simple

Play trailer Poster for Blood Simple R 1984 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
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...
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Blood Simple

Blood Simple

What to Know

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
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 01/27/2025
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

View More
Jason H @RT50328122 Mar 10 A great debut from the Coen brothers. See more Luca D @JoeCamel7 Jan 18 Very suspenseful and really well shot. In terms of the writing it's a little bland. The acting is really good but I just feel like every character in the movie keeps making dumb mistakes, kind of like a B movie horror flick. It's not as layered as reviews claim but it's still a decent thriller for a movie night. See more 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 @Romas 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 @RT08580778 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 Read all reviews
Blood Simple

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Joel Coen

Director

John Getz

Ray

Frances McDormand

Abby

M. Emmet Walsh

Private Detective

Dan Hedaya

Julian Marty

Samm-Art Williams

Meurice

More Like This

View All
52 Pick-Up 58% 48% 52 Pick-Up Watchlist Cutter's Way 92% 69% Cutter's Way Watchlist Manhunter 90% 77% Manhunter Watchlist Mississippi Burning 79% 90% Mississippi Burning Watchlist Frantic 77% 64% Frantic Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Blood Simple

Blood Simple (1984) Blood Simple (1984) Dan Hedaya and E. Emmet Walsh. (Left to right) Directors/producers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. Frances McDormand. E. Emmet Walsh stars as private detective Loren Visser. Dan Hedaya and Frances McDormand. 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