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IMDbPro

The Man Who Wasn't There

  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
109K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
6,159
772
Frances McDormand, Billy Bob Thornton, and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Theatrical Trailer from USA Films
Play trailer1:36
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDrama
A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
109K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
6,159
772
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Joel Coen
    • Writers
      • Joel Coen
      • Ethan Coen
    • Stars
      • Billy Bob Thornton
      • Frances McDormand
      • Michael Badalucco
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Joel Coen
    • Writers
      • Joel Coen
      • Ethan Coen
    • Stars
      • Billy Bob Thornton
      • Frances McDormand
      • Michael Badalucco
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 475User reviews
    • 173Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 25 wins & 43 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Man Who Wasn't There
    Trailer 1:36
    The Man Who Wasn't There
    A Guide to the Films of the Coen Brothers
    Clip 1:56
    A Guide to the Films of the Coen Brothers

    Photos108

    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Michael Badalucco in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Katherine Borowitz in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Billy Bob Thornton
    Billy Bob Thornton
    • Ed Crane
    Frances McDormand
    Frances McDormand
    • Doris Crane
    Michael Badalucco
    Michael Badalucco
    • Frank
    James Gandolfini
    James Gandolfini
    • Big Dave Brewster
    Katherine Borowitz
    Katherine Borowitz
    • Ann Nirdlinger Brewster
    Jon Polito
    Jon Polito
    • Creighton Tolliver
    Scarlett Johansson
    Scarlett Johansson
    • Birdy Abundas
    Richard Jenkins
    Richard Jenkins
    • Walter Abundas
    Tony Shalhoub
    Tony Shalhoub
    • Freddy Riedenschneider
    Christopher Kriesa
    Christopher Kriesa
    • Officer Persky
    Brian Haley
    Brian Haley
    • Officer Krebs
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • P.I. Burns
    Gregg Binkley
    Gregg Binkley
    • New Man
    Alan Fudge
    Alan Fudge
    • Dr. Diedrickson
    Lilyan Chauvin
    Lilyan Chauvin
    • Medium
    Adam Alexi-Malle
    Adam Alexi-Malle
    • Jacques Carcanogues
    Ted Rooney
    Ted Rooney
    • Bingo Caller
    Abraham Benrubi
    Abraham Benrubi
    • Party Man
    • Director
      • Joel Coen
    • Writers
      • Joel Coen
      • Ethan Coen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Joel Coen and Ethan Coen came up with the story while working on The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). While filming the scene in the barbershop, the Coens saw a prop poster of 1940s haircuts and began developing a story about the barber who cut the hair in the poster.
    • Goofs
      Birdy Abundas says that Ludwig van Beethoven "was deaf when he wrote this. [...] He never actually heard it", referring to his Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathetique". When Beethoven composed this specific Sonata in 1798, he wasn't deaf. He already had some auditory troubles but he became totally deaf later, around 1815. During the very beginning of the 19th century he was still able to play public concerts and to hear the pieces he was composing.
    • Quotes

      Reidenschneider: They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz Something-or-other. Or is it? Maybe it's Werner. Anyway, he's got this theory, you wanna test something, you know, scientifically - how the planets go round the sun, what sunspots are made of, why the water comes out of the tap - well, you gotta look at it. But sometimes you look at it, your looking changes it. Ya can't know the reality of what happened, or what would've happened if you hadn't-a stuck in your own goddamn schnozz. So there is no "what happened"? Not in any sense that we can grasp, with our puny minds. Because our minds... our minds get in the way. Looking at something changes it. They call it the "Uncertainty Principle". Sure, it sounds screwy, but even Einstein says the guy's on to something.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening titles cast shadows on the wall as if they are real.
    • Alternate versions
      Though original intended to be released in black and white, the movie was originally shot in color. Some countries released the movie in color (e.g. Japan) for marketing reasons. Both versions are released on home media.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: What's the Worst That Could Happen?/Pearl Harbor/The Anniversary Party/Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 (Pathetique)
      (1799)

      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

    User reviews475

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A beautifully shot "Film Noir" in black and white but with colorful characters
    The 2002 Cohen brothers film is a delight. "The Man Who Wasn't There" combines everything I like in the Coen brother's unique way of telling a story. From the comic of the situation witnessed in the famous "O Brother Where Art Though" (2000) to the originality of the scenario seen in "Barton Fink" (1991), not to mention the singularity of the characters and their lack of control over the situation in the excellent "Fargo" (1996), all those "hints" have been gathered to built this well thought story. Joel and Ethan directed and wrote this picture about a bored and boring chain-smoking barber admirably played by Billy Bob Thornton (best role for this under-rated actor)who blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning. As you sense the plan goes terribly wrong. I believe this story is a pretext to show us how little is our grip on the reality of our lives. And to demonstrate how justice easily becomes a comico-pathetic masquarade when given by men. On the contrary true Justice eventually lies in the wrinkles of men's destiny. As a conclusion you are better off expecting a landing of an alien spaceship than a fair and clear trial in a court of law. Whether we agree or not to this demonstration, it does not take away the pleasure of watching these terrific actors putting into play the original and dark scenario of the two brothers. Billy Bob Thornton is a master portraying to perfection Ed Crane (the laconic barber). Since Dead Man (1995) I don't recall a lot of movies where directors have capitalized on his enormous talent. Frances McDormand (Doris Crane) is as usual fantastic. We remember her in Wonder Boys (2000) and of course as the sheriff in Fargo (1996). Here she plays wonderfully the barber's wife going from bitterness to sorrow. Some characters can be seen as "cliche" like Freddy Riedenschneider the lawyer played by the good Tony Shalhoub, however they are all enjoyable to watch: James Gandolfini is terrific as "Big Dave" and Jon Polito very colorful as Creighton Tolliver, not to forget the very talkative and sincere Michael Badalucco as Franck Raffo or the great job done by Scarlett Johansson in the role of Rachael 'Birdy' Abundas the not very straight and quiet adolescent you would expect. The Black and White picture is more an artistic exploration from the Coen brothers and I don't think has anything to do with the chosen period (late 40's). However the black and white picture is very well shot by Roger Deakins and impose tremendously well Billy Bob Thornton's character and therefore never becomes a burden for the audience. "The Man Who Wasn't There" does not belong to any genre in particular. The Movie is made of a myriads of genres and characters that the Coen brothers have managed to master throughout their career of story tellers. The movie is a "film Noir" but not only, it is a dark comedy but not only, it is a light thriller but not only, it is shot in black and white but still have colorful characters, it tells a simple story of a laconic barber but there is more to it, eventually Justice will prevail but not the way we think it will. In the end it is a unique movie and in times where everything seems to look the same this movie becomes a true jewel.
    helpful•13
    6
    • auberus
    • May 16, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Barber Movie
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Rosa, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Good Machine
      • Gramercy Pictures (I)
      • Mike Zoss Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,504,257
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $664,404
      • Nov 4, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $18,916,623
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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