The Man Who Wasn't There

R

Released Oct 31, 2001

1 hr. 56 min.

Crime

Drama

List

81%

160 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A dark tale of infidelity and murder, crime and punishment. Set in a small northern California town of the late 40s, the film portrays Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber dissatisfied with his life. His wife Doris' (Frances McDormand) infidelity presents Ed with an opportunity for blackmail that he thinks will help him to change it. However, Ed's scheme unravels and lays bare even darker secrets...

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Jun 07

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent The Man Who Wasn't There on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

Stylish but emotionally distant, The Man Who Wasn't There is a clever tribute to the film noir genre.

Read Critics Reviews

Leaburn O

Enjoyed it. The voiceover and black/white palate all reminded me of Sun City. Thornton carries the film with his vacant, distant musings. Bought in DVD for £1.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/06/23

Full Review

Clay W

Film noir lives! Very good film, great performance by Billy Bob Thornton.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/23

Full Review

dave s

Ed (Billy Bob Thornton) is a man living an unfulfilled life. His job as a barber is nothing more than a means to an end. His unloving wife Doris (Frances McDormand) is having an affair. He lives in a world of facile relationships in which he wants no part. The Man Who Wasn't There is one of the Coen brothers most unappreciated works, a neo-noir film about alienation, infidelity, and, ultimately, murder. Filled with effective lighting, stellar cinematography by Roger Deakins, solid performances from an excellent cast (including James Gandolfini as Doris' lover), and a story filled with twists and turns, it is up there with the best that the Coens have to offer. Granted, the final twenty minutes or so may feel a bit tacked on, but The Man Who Wasn't There is definitely worth the watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Justin G

Cast was stacked with talent! I give movie 7/10. Was a little slow but has a twist just about every 15 minutes. Good movie to watch on a rainy day!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/08/22

Full Review

Thomas M

The best cinematography ever done in a movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/22

Full Review

Aidan S

Fantastic slow-burn noir character study. Took a situation I've seen many times before but told it in a unique way that heavily diverged from my expectations and fully engrossed me in the perspective of its title character. Heartily recommend

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/11/22

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Joel Coen

Director

Billy Bob Thornton

Ed

Frances McDormand

Doris

Michael Badalucco

Frank

James Gandolfini

Big Dave

Katherine Borowitz

Ann Nirdlinger

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - Freddy Reidenschneider

2:11

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - The Murder

3:18

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - Reasonable Doubt

2:54

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - It Stinks

3:41

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - An Enthusiast

2:41

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - A Diamond in the Rough

3:00

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - I Just Cut the Hair

2:05

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - The Ghost

2:26

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - A Blackmail Note

3:00

The Man Who Wasn't There: Official Clip - The End

2:05

View more videos

%

%

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen

%

%

Tiger

%

%

Hip-Hop and The White House

%

%

Tigers on the Rise

88%

83%

Monkey Man

TRAILER

for Monkey Man

69%

97%

Arthur the King

TRAILER

for Arthur the King

93%

%

Something You Said Last Night

%

%

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two

%

%

The Moon and Back

%

92%

La Cha Cha

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Billy Bob Thornton Says His Goliath Character Picked Up the Actor’s Bad Habits in Season 2

Rank Scarlett Johansson’s 10 Best Movies

Billy Bob Thornton’s 10 Best Movies

View more photos

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Some mature themes--best for older teens.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Affectlessness is not a quality much prized in movie protagonists, but Billy Bob Thornton, that splendid actor, does it perfectly as Ed Crane.

Oct 13, 2009

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

The film holds the interest, to be sure, but more due to the sure sense of craft and precise effect that one expects from the Coens than from genuine involvement in the story.

Nov 7, 2007

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Like many films in the film noir genre, The Man Who Wasn't There would not work if it were released in color.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 22, 2024

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Coens often exaggerate a genre to comic effect, and for The Man Who Wasn't There, the mechanics of film noir marry with the Coens' unique brand of searching, and together realize their most mysterious, atmospheric motion picture.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 2, 2022

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Leave it to Joel and Ethan Coen to not only pay expert homage to the film noir genre, but darn near perfect it.

Rated: 4/4

May 22, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

A dark tale of infidelity and murder, crime and punishment. Set in a small northern California town of the late 40s, the film portrays Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber dissatisfied with his life. His wife Doris' (Frances McDormand) infidelity presents Ed with an opportunity for blackmail that he thinks will help him to change it. However, Ed's scheme unravels and lays bare even darker secrets...

Director: Joel Coen
Executive Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Screenwriter: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Distributor: USA Films
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R (Scene of Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 14, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.5M
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now