Watch Miller's Crossing

"Miller's Crossing" is a 1990 American neo-noir film written, directed and produced by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, and John Turturro, the film is set during the Prohibition era and follows the complicated and dangerous relationships between several Irish-American and Italian-American gangsters in an unnamed city.

Tom Reagan (Byrne) is the right-hand man of Leo O'Bannon (Finney), the boss of an Irish-American crime syndicate that operates in the city. Tom is a cunning and resourceful strategist who has earned the trust and respect of Leo, but his loyalty is tested after Leo refuses to support Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito), an Italian-American gangster who wants to kill Bernie Bernbaum (Turturro), a bookie and a small-time crook who works for Leo.

Tom is secretly in love with Leo's girlfriend, Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), who is the sister of Bernie. Tom advises Leo to let Johnny have his way and kill Bernie, but Leo refuses, which leads to a bitter and violent gang war. As tensions rise and lives are lost, Tom finds himself caught between his duty to Leo, his loyalty to Verna, and his own survival instincts. He must navigate a complex web of lies, betrayals, and secret alliances, while trying to stay alive and outsmart his enemies.

The film's plot is full of twists and turns, with each character having their own hidden agenda or motivation. The dialogue is sharp and witty, with characters engaging in long and memorable conversations about loyalty, ethics, and the nature of power. The film's visual style is heavily influenced by classic film noir, with low-key lighting, deep shadows, and a dark and moody atmosphere.

One of the film's most memorable sequences is a long and beautifully choreographed scene that takes place in the woods, where Tom outwits a group of hitmen who are trying to kill him. The scene is shot in a single take and features a stunning tracking shot that follows Tom as he moves through the trees and shoots his attackers with precise and deadly aim.

The film's cast is uniformly excellent, with Gabriel Byrne delivering a career-best performance as the enigmatic and complex Tom Reagan. Albert Finney is equally impressive as the tough and charismatic Leo O'Bannon, while John Turturro shines as the slimy and desperate Bernie Bernbaum. The supporting cast includes veteran character actors such as J.E. Freeman, Steve Buscemi, and Mike Starr, who all add depth and texture to the film's world.

"Miller's Crossing" is a masterful exercise in style and storytelling, and one of the Coen brothers' finest films. It combines the best elements of film noir, gangster movies, and dark comedy, and creates a unique and unforgettable vision of a violent and corrupt world. With its iconic characters, memorable dialogue, and stunning visuals, the film has become a beloved cult classic and a touchstone of modern cinema.

Miller's Crossing is a 1990 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 66.