An outstanding gangster movie!

Miller's Crossing is an outstanding gangster drama made prior to the Coen Brothers developing into a massive household name. Even in their early days, the duo consisting of Joel and Ethan Coen could produce movies executed with articulate cinematography, witty dialogue and suspenseful action. It's fascinating that the Coen Brothers were able to successfully nail the gangster genre in one attempt with a screenplay they penned themselves.

Miller's Crossing relies solely on its character development to flesh out the plot. Instead of sincerely delving into the lives of several characters, the film is concerned with one man in particular: Tom Reagan (Byrne). Tom is a wise guy and a loner: acting as a quintessential right-hand man to Prohibition-era Irish mob boss Leo (Finney). The story is a complex plot of intrigue, loyalty and betrayal as it examines the morals within the criminal underworld of the 1930s. The film focuses on two rival gangs that contend for control of the city. Tom's loyalties begin to blur when disputes arise between he and Leo over a girl named Verna (Harden). Inadvertently, Tom is now caught in the middle of a gang war while being posed the question of allegiances. On the surface Miller's Crossing is a mob war film, but underneath it's an exploration of the relationships between a horde of interesting characters, largely from Tom's point of view. Most importantly it is fundamentally an examination of Tom's internal conflicts.

Gabriel Byrne is astonishing as Tom Reagan. Interestingly enough, Byrne's performance reminded me of the classic Bogart performances: a wise-cracking, cool, manipulative and likeable rogue. Byrne is very engaging for those with patience. His performance in this film will always be remembered as one of the genre's finest. Albert Finney is at the top of his game. Similar to the rest of the cast, Finney is absorbing whenever he receives screen time. If anything I believe that Finney was underused; appearing rarely into the second half. Jon Polito is terrifying and menacing as the rival mob boss. Polito nailed his character. Every scene he features in he is nothing short of brilliant. I could not spot any flaws or lapses in his concentration.

The style of the Coen Brothers will not be accepted by all. Many of their creative choices are questionable, albeit unique. The pacing is sometimes extremely slow: an aspect that can be attributed to the way they direct the actors. Similar to every dialogue-orientated gangster film in existence, the filmmakers demand patience. Another unique style of the Coen Brothers is the over-the-top violence and bloodshed. You will frequently witness geysers of blood spurting out from a character that has been shot.

The film also boasts some amazing cinematography. Barry Sonnenfeld's career started as a cinematographer before moving further up the ladder to directing. Sonnenfeld's work cannot be faulted.

Miller's Crossing is one of the definitive films of the Coen Brothers, and marks one of their crowning achievements. The film's single fatal flaw is that it's extremely difficult to get into. It's vital to pay attention to every scene otherwise you'll fall behind and struggle to catch up while missing more of the movie. Naturally, this just means that several screenings are necessary. Overall, Miller's Crossing is extremely an entertaining gangster movie that may not be for all tastes. Do not judge too harshly after your first viewing.