10 Movies To Check Out If You Love The Coen Brothers’ Films

The Coen brothers have a unique style that has helped them develop a passionate fan base, but there are some other movies that their fans might also enjoy. The best Coen brothers movies encompass a range of genres, from their thrilling westerns like True Grit to their crime comedies like The Big Lebowski. Still, there are some factors which unite their films.

Coen brothers movies are often feted for their snappy dialogue, mysterious, twisty plots and eccentric characters. The directing duo have also shown a keen interest in different American regions and how people from across the country behave. If a film can capture these elements and strike a similarly dark tone, there’s a good chance that fans of the Coen brothers will appreciate it.

10

In Bruges (2008)

Martin McDonagh Is Another Master Of Dark Comedy

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In Bruges

t

Comedy

Crime

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7/10

10/10

Release Date

February 8, 2008

Runtime

107minutes

Director

Martin McDonagh

Writers

Martin McDonagh

Cast

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In Bruges was Martin McDonagh’s first feature-length film, and it announced his arrival as a master of dark comedy, just like the Coens. In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen who travel to the picturesque medieval city of Bruges, only to find out that one has been ordered to kill the other.

The constant bickering between the two assassins is reminiscent of the dynamic between the two kidnappers in Fargo.

The constant bickering between the two assassins in In Bruges is reminiscent of the fractious dynamic between the two kidnappers in Fargo. Farrell and Gleeson are both brilliant, but it’s Ralph Fiennes who steals the show when he turns up as their foul-mouthed and short-tempered boss. He doesn’t factor in the story until relatively late, but he’s still one of the funniest comedy movie villains.

9

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Frances McDormand Delivers One Of Her Funniest Performances

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

R

Crime

Documentary

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7/10

9/10

Release Date

December 1, 2017

Runtime

115 minutes

Director

Martin McDonagh

Writers

Martin McDonagh

Producers

Bergen Swanson, Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Diarmuid McKeown, Rose Garnett, David Kosse

Cast

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    Mildred Hayes

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A few of Martin McDonagh’s movies are good fits for fans of the Coen brothers. As well as In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri stands out as a brilliant dark comedy with a splash of chaotic violence. It stars Frances McDormand as a woman who hires some billboards to put pressure on the local police department after her daughter is sexually assaulted and murdered.

John Turturro in Miller's Crossing

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Many of Frances McDormand’s best movies have come from her collaborations with her husband Joel Coen, but she won her second Academy Award for Three Billboards, and it’s as funny as her performances in Fargo, Burn After Reading or any other Coens movie. Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell are also perfectly suited to McDonagh’s fiery dialogue.

8

The Ladykillers (1955)

The Coens’ Great Folly Doesn’t Come Close To The Original

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The Ladykillers

Approved

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

February 20, 1956

Runtime

91 minutes

Director

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers

William Rose, Jimmy O’Connor

Cast

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    Alec Guinness

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    Cecil Parker

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    Herbert Lom

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    Peter Sellers

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Fans of the Coens will probably know about the one great misstep in their career. Their 2004 remake of The Ladykillers starring Tom Hanks usually falls to the bottom of rankings of their filmography. Fortunately, the original is still just as funny as ever, and it’s worth watching to find out what the Coens saw in it.

The Ladykillers is a hilarious British crime caper starring Alec Guinness as the leader of a group of bank robbers. Before he was known as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness proved himself to be one of Britain’s funniest actors with movies like Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob and The Ladykillers. These all share the Coen brothers’ darkly comedic style.

7

The Death Of Stalin (2017)

Armando Iannucci’s Dark Satire Turns Violent

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The Death of Stalin

R

Comedy

Drama

History

Release Date

October 20, 2017

Runtime

107 Minutes

Director

Armando Iannucci

Writers

Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin, Peter Fellows

Cast

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    Simon Russell Beale

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    Paddy Considine

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The Death of Stalin tells the story of the frantic succession struggle that Stalin left in his wake, but it doesn’t attempt to appear historically authentic. The actors mostly speak in their natural accents, and their dialogue also sounds decidedly modern, which draws a parallel between the Soviet Union and the political in-fighting in the western world today.

The Death of Stalin is a political satire told on a personal level, similar to Burn After Reading in some ways. It’s also a brilliant ensemble comedy with a cast that rivals any that the Coens have ever assembled. For fans of British dark comedy, it’s an absolute must-watch.

6

The Third Man (1949)

The Classic Noir Thriller Inspired The Coens’ More Dramatic Work

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The Third Man

Approved

Noir

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

Release Date

February 1, 1950

Runtime

93 Minutes

Director

Carol Reed

Writers

Graham Greene, Orson Welles, Alexander Korda

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    Orson Welles

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    Joseph Cotten

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Joel and Ethan Coen supposedly took their cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld to a screening of The Third Man for inspiration before filming their debut feature Blood Simple. The film’s stark black-and-white photography also seems to be a touchstone for The Man Who Wasn’t There, and Miller’s Crossing makes a more overt reference to The Third Man in its ending.

Josh Brolin covered in blood in No Country for Old Men

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The Third Man is a stunning film noir thriller about a writer who travels to Vienna to find a dilapidated, bombed-out city, far from the Bohemian paradise of Freud, Schiele and Mozart. The symbol of the towering ferris wheel sums up the directionless drifting of society. This creates the ideal backdrop for a crime thriller, and it reflects how most Coen brothers movies have a clear sense of place.

5

Out Of Sight (1998)

Steven Soderbergh’s Stylish Thriller Remains Underrated

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Out of Sight

R

Comedy

Crime

Drama

Romance

Thriller

Release Date

June 26, 1998

Runtime

123 minutes

Director

Steven Soderbergh

Writers

Elmore Leonard, Scott Frank

Cast

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    George Clooney

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    Jim Robinson

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    Mike Malone

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    Donna Frenzel

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Out of Sight has been overshadowed by Ocean’s Eleven, which Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney made three years later, but it deserves a lot more love. Fans of the Coen brothers will appreciate the movie’s twisty crime plot and dry wit, and it’s also good to see frequent Coen collaborator Clooney in a familiar role.

Soderbergh’s infectious style of dialogue works brilliantly in Out of Sight, as he pivots from tense crime thrills to breezy romantic comedy with ease. Clooney and Jennifer Lopez strike up a dazzling chemistry as a thief and a detective, setting up the kind of twisty caper that the Coens love.

4

The Nice Guys (2016)

Shane Black’s Dark Crime Comedy Has Grown A Cult Following

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The Nice Guys

R

Mystery

Thriller

Crime

ScreenRant logo

7/10

9.2/10

Release Date

May 20, 2016

Runtime

116minutes

Director

Shane Black

Writers

Anthony Bagarozzi, Shane Black

Cast

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The Nice Guys ends by teasing a sequel, as the two private investigators decide to go into business together. Unfortunately, the film’s poor box office performance meant that any talk of a follow-up was swiftly curtailed. The Nice Guys has established a considerable cult following since then, which makes its commercial failure even more frustrating.

The Nice Guys is the kind of complex, intelligent mystery comedy that could easily have come from the Coen brothers. At the heart of the comedy is some surprising chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, who bounce off of each other wonderfully.

3

The Lobster (2015)

Yorgos Lanthimos’ Strange Style Is Often Great For Comedy

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The Lobster

R

Comedy

Drama

Romance

6.3/10

Release Date

October 15, 2015

Runtime

119 Minutes

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Writers

Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

Cast

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Yorgos Lanthimos’ movies can all be recognized immediately, because they share the same unsettling tone. This can be used for psychological horror, like in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but it’s also perfect for dark comedy, in which the strangely inhuman characters reflect the most violent and base elements of humanity.

Custom image of the Coen brothers with their movies in the background

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The Lobster is probably Lanthimos’ funniest movie overall, thanks to a deadpan masterclass from Colin Farrell and a script that constantly squeezes the best out of a unique sci-fi premise. The Lobster is a cynical meditation on modern romance, showing the ways that love has been warped and clouded out by other concerns.

2

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

The British Caper Fits In With The Coens’ Crime Comedies

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A Fish Called Wanda

R

Comedy

Crime

7.4/10

Release Date

July 15, 1988

Runtime

108 min

Director

Charles Crichton, John Cleese

Writers

John Cleese, Charles Crichton

Cast

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    John Cleese

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A Fish Called Wanda is a pitch-black comedy about the fallout of a London jewel heist, with a dysfunctional band of criminals scheming against one another to get their hands on the loot. It shares a lot in common with many of the Coen brothers’ best crime comedies. It has the frantic energy of Fargo, the goofy charms of Raising Arizona and the eccentric ensemble cast of The Big Lebowski.

A Fish Called Wanda is also a must-watch for fans of Monty Python, since it stars both Michael Palin and John Cleese. It’s more grounded and gritty than any of the Monty Python movies ever were, but the madcap style and clever wordplay is all the same. The British actors are joined by Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis, which makes A Fish Called Wanda a hilarious clash of cultures.

1

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Elliot Gould Stars As A Wry, Funny Marlowe

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The Long Goodbye

R

Drama

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

March 8, 1973

Runtime

112 Minutes

Director

Robert Altman

Writers

Leigh Brackett, Raymond Chandler

Cast

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    Elliott Gould

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    Nina van Pallandt

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    Sterling Hayden

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    Mark Rydell

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There have been plenty of different Philip Marlowe movies over the years, and different actors have brought their own unique strengths to Raymond Chandler’s iconic detective. Elliot Gould’s version of Marlowe is much funnier than most. However, the story is just as gripping and mysterious as any by Chandler.

The story touches on some heavy topics, but Gould’s deadpan nonchalance is always a bright spot.

The Long Goodbye probably wouldn’t be very funny at all if not for Gould. The story touches on some heavy topics, including suicide, alcoholism and grief, but Gould’s deadpan nonchalance is always a bright spot. His Marlowe seems like a man out of time, and it’s easy to see shades of Lebowski in his clumsy investigation.