Review: Miller's Crossing (1990) somehow holds up despite being made by directors with a great track record

Anyone who was surprised when the light Coen brothers made dark and nihilistic No Country for Old Men did not see Miller's Crossing. This tale of Prohibition era gangsters hammers the viewer with a bleak tale of murder and desire.

    The time is early twentieth century. Gangsters run the towns and the booze and cross each other continually to make a buck. One such gangster has extended protection to the brother of his girlfriend, who also happens to be sleeping with the main character Tom (Byrne). Another gangster traps Tom in a deal of kill or be killed over the brother and, man, it gets complicated from there.

    Man, just see this one. The acting is solid, the look and feel just flow. It's pure Coen brothers: a man with a choice makes the wrong one until everyone else is dead.