The Man Who Wasn't There

Three stars. Solid and enjoyable.

Oddball story about a small-town barber whose chance meeting with a travelling salesman kicks off a domino train of events leading to betrayal and murder. It's filmed in loving black-and-white, with a brooding, enigmatic performance by Billy-Bob Thornton as the barber, and the Coen brothers' characteristic attention to detail. The pacing is slow, though, and the simple morality tale the plot hangs on isn't all that interesting. Not quite up to the standards of Fargo or O Brother.