Quick Review: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

​The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is another ambitious feature perfectly executed by the Coen brothers. This six-part Western anthology film explores the American frontier blended through dark drama and black humor. 

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The Coen brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit) are at it again, delivering another satisfying picture. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is one of their most ambitious films to date. This Western anthology film dices up six personal stories into the 133-minute running time. Here, we are introduced to a variety of characters and places in the Wild West. The titles of these six stories are as followed: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Near Algodones, Meal Ticket, All Gold Canyon, The Gal Who Got Rattled, and The Mortal Remains. My personal favorite was the All Gold Canyon storyline. The actors who make-up these six stories are Time Blake Nelson, David Krumholtz, Clancy Brown, James Franco, Stephen Root, Jesse Luken, Liam Neeson, Harry Melling, Tom Waits, Zoe Kazan, Bill Heck, Tyne Daly, Brendan Gleeson, and Saul Rubinek.

​​Distributed by Netflix, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs made its way into every household showcasing Friday night vignettes. The film premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay. The National Board of Review (NBR) also named it one of the top ten best films of 2018. The stellar writing will captivate​ you, while displaying lushes’ landscapes filled with mad people. This character-rich picture unveils the talented craft formed by the Coen brothers. As we watch each story unfold, we are also struck by the visual treasure of the, sometimes, muted and dusty landscape of the West. Strikingly photographed, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is one of the most unique movies of 2018. A crazy concept smoothly weaved together by the Coen brothers. Funny, dark, and ghastly rewarding, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs prints its mark in cinema for years to follow.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is rated R (Restricted). For some strong violence.