"The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” Review
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is a six-part western anthology movie by the Coen Brothers. The following are mini reactions to each segment.
#1: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs:
I love the juxtaposition of the Looney Tunes inspired premise and direction mixed with extreme violence. Tim Blake Nelson is likable and cocky and I loved going through his story with the occasional fourth wall break à la Bug’s Bunny. The musical portions are totally Coenian and everything that fans have come to expect.
#2: Near Algodones:
The only thing memorable about this skit is Bruno Delbonnel’s stylish minimalist shot compositions. The ending left me confused and frustrated. Besides that and some darkly comedic moments, this is the most hollow of the segments.
#3: Meal Ticket:
A stand out of the bunch for its cold and melancholic portrayal of mass entertainment and multi-layered performances from Harry Melling and Liam Neeson. It tells a story of a limbless man and an impresario. They struggle to make ends meet and the turn it takes is perfect and dark and although there are words recited, the story between these two characters are conveyed through actions rather than dialogue.
#4: All Gold Canyon:
I love Tom Waits and I love this segment! Based on a short story written by Jack London and backed by Carter Burwell’s gorgeous score, this is a mainly feel-good pastoral chill out sesh with a grizzled and kind prospector. The beauty is in its simplicity. This is a perfect short film that sent me on a low-key emotional roller coaster.
#5: The Gal Who Got Rattled:
This segment’s pacing is a bit weird. It’s three acts feel disjointed and awkwardly stitched together. First it’s about a business deal, then a love story, then a tense action sequence. It features incredible performances from Zoe Kazan and Grainger Hines. The music in the final scene of the segment and its final shot really doesn’t fit with the rest of the segment at all.
#6: The Mortal Remains:
I get what they were going for but the characters and dialogue weren’t interesting enough for me to care about at all. This is the weakest segment in the film and the real tragedy is choosing to end the movie on such a weak note.
Overall, it’s a mixed bag. But I had a good time in general. Especially with the Tom Waits segment.