Blood Simple

Blood Simple is pretty impressive for a debut film. Frances McDormand, who is married to one of the Coen brothers, plays Abby, who is unhappy in her relationship with her husband, the tyrannical nightclub owner Marty. Marty long ago set a private detective to record Abby's comings and goings, so when he learns that Abby has been unfaithful to him with his employee, the nice bartender Ray, he hires the private detective Visser to murder the couple.

Marty, however, is punished for his bloodlust by Visser, who, instead of murdering the couple, kills Marty and grabs the money. That same night Ray finds the body and disposes of it, as he thinks it is Abby's handiwork and therefore wants to help her. Distrust grows between Abby and Ray, who never get to talk the problems through, for Abby has no idea what has happened.

Meanwhile, the unscrupulous Visser is hunting Ray and Abby, especially as Ray is getting on the trail of the truth, but before he can, he dies from Visser's bullets. The showdown is now between Visser and Abby.

Blood Simple is the Coen brothers in their blackest-humoured mood. The film is most of all reminiscent of the brothers' latest film "Fargo", which, however, wins the comparison. There is too much low budget and straightforward film noir in Blood Simple.