Movie Review - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Black humor, curve balls, suspense, mishaps, morbidity, the unexpected, great acting, the wild west, picturesque sceneries, all these elements make for another great Coen brothers movie, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

This movie moves in six parts, we always enjoy the vignette format. The story lines are not particularly related outside the elements mentioned above. The artistic effort in this film is a good effort and appreciated, but frankly speaking it can move a little slow at times. It didn't bother us but come on, the Coen brothers are no Sergio Leone.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Just when you think you're the top dog some one badder and faster comes along. Not much more to say on this amusing chapter other than the homage to musicals and western music.

Near Algodones

This vignette has one of the best lines ever. James Franco narrowly avoids death by hanging for robbing a bank. His hangers are murdered by indians and he his left on his horse with a noose around his neck. The shots of the horse's mouth and teeth and he moves further and further away from the tree to eat sparse patches of grass is priceless. He is saved by a cattle thief only to be captured and sentenced to death by hanging for stock rustling. On the gallows he turns to the weeping guy next to him and asks, "first time?" Very well done.

Meal Ticket

A touring show featuring a man with no arms or legs is earning less and less money with each performance. The coach driver and caretaker of the talented orator buys a talented chicken whose show was drawing much bigger crowds. He stops at a high bridge on a snowy day to do the unthinkable.

All Gold Canyons

This one is about a grizzly old gold panner who almost gets robbed right when he hits a thick vein of yellow. He was being stalked the whole trip. His methodical approach and knowledge of geography were interesting. The scenery in this one was beautiful. They took their time but it is properly paced for the story and worth it.

The Gal Who Got Rattled

This is a good one about a yapping dog, prairie dogs, deadly indians, a long journey, things past, future things, serious concerns, frivolity, calm before the storm and a tragic decision made by a rattled girl. Not everything in life is good guy wins and happy ending. This story is keeping it real.

The Mortal Remains

The amazing thing about this chapter is how it starts very much in full color with the setting sun bouncing off the outfits of travelers in a coach. As the vividness of the colors dies with the onset of dusk so the conversation turns serious. There was a dead body strapped to the roof of the coach the whole time they were discussing banality. Puts things into perspective.

This movie gets 4.2 out of 5 farts. You can consider it 6 individual shorts and break it up if you need to. Some take a minute to digest.