# The Coen Brothers movies - How would you rank them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799 "2003-06-27T17:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/21 "2003-06-28T00:17:51Z")
1. Barton Fink 2. Miller’s Crossing 3. Blood Simple 4. Fargo 5. O Brother Where Art Thou 6. Big Lebowski 7. Raising Arizona 8. The Man Who Wasn’t There 9. Hudsucker Proxy …thoughy I like 'em all. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/22 "2003-06-28T00:40:45Z")
1. Fargo 2. Raising Arizona 3. Hudsucker Proxy 4. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 5. Miller’s Crossing 6. Big Lebowski 7. The Man Who Wasn’t There 8. Blood Simple 9. Barton Fink The first three are about evenly tied, but I forced myself to order them even though I think they’re all brilliant. O Brother is only 4th because I haven’t seen it as many times. I only recently watched Miller’s Crossing for the first time, since it _just_ came out on DVD. Can someone explain to me why The Hudsucker Proxy rates so low on so many people’s lists? Everyone I know who’s seen it (among my friends/family, anyway) absolutely loves it. I think it’s genius. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/23 "2003-06-28T00:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I Love Me, Vol. I \* > \*\*I won’t rank them all but I’d just like to state that IMO, The Big Lebowski was a very poor effort from folks as talented as the Coens. It is worse than any other Coen film by several orders of magnitude. The rest were pretty much great. \*\* How many times have you seen it? The first time I saw Lebowski, in the theaters, I was a bit underwhelmed. I didn’t hate it, just… didn’t love it. Thought it was okay, kinda funny, nothing more. I’ve seen it several times since, and as you can see by list a few posts above, it’s become my favorite of theirs. And I know a couple other people who have related similar stories. For some reason, it takes people a few viewings to fully appreciate The Big Lebowksi. I’m not even sure why; it’s not as if it’s real heady or anything. But now I watch it and laugh throughout the whole thing. Anyway, if you like the Coens, I urge you to sit through Lebowski one or two more times. Watch it with some friends. I really think it might grow on you as it did me. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/24 "2003-06-28T01:21:34Z")
**Miller** wrote > [@](#): > > Surprised to see how many put Barton Fink at the bottom of their list. Yeah, it didn’t do that much for me, though there were a lot of very memorable scenes. I guess the ending in particular was too non-conclusive for my tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/25 "2003-06-28T01:29:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anamorphic \* > \*\*Anyway, if you like the Coens, I urge you to sit through Lebowski one or two more times. Watch it with some friends. I really think it might grow on you as it did me. \*\* I can confirm that Lebowski is one of those movies that, for some reason, get better with repeat viewings. I don’t know why that is. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/26 "2003-06-28T02:14:35Z")
I don’t know anyone who liked Big Lebowski on the first viewing. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t learned to love it by the third. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/27 "2003-06-28T02:29:19Z")
1. The Big Lebowski 2. Raising Arizona 3.Fargo O Brother, Where Art Thou? Miller’s Crossing The Man Who Wasn’t There Barton Fink Blood Simple The Hudsucker Proxy ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/28 "2003-06-28T02:43:01Z")
1. Miller’s Crossing – my favorite movie ever 2. Raising Arizona 3. Blood Simple 4. The Big Lebowski 5. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 6. Fargo 7. The Man Who Wasn’t There 8. The Hudsucker Proxy 9. Barton Fink I really hated Barton Fink. And I actually liked a lot about Hudsucker Proxy, I just hated the cast. Especially Jennifer Jason Leigh, who’s on my all-time shit-list for almost single-handedly ruining a Coen Bros. movie. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/29 "2003-06-28T03:01:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I don’t know anyone who liked Big Lebowski on the first viewing. > > I don’t know anyone who hasn’t learned to love it by the third. \*\* Ok, then I’ll give it another shot. I only saw it once, in the theater. As I was leaving I thought “Boy, that sucked.” Not that it sucked like “Spawn” or something, but that being a Coen Brothers fan, I was expecting more. And, as **Jadis** mentioned, _Hudsucker_ does not deserve the rating it usually gets on this board every time this thread topic comes up. I love this movie! It has more quotable lines than you can shake a stick at, and the whole montage of the discovery/development of the “dingus” (You know, for kids!) set to the Katchaturian music is inspired. I didn’t like JJL’s character the first time, but then I realized what she was doing and how it fit in with the design of the film, and it has really grown on me over many repeat viewings. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/30 "2003-06-28T03:04:55Z")
1. Miller’s Crossing 2. The Big Lebowski 3. Fargo 4. Barton Fink 5. Raising Arizona 6. O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? 7. The Man Who Wasn’t There 8. Blood Simple 9. Hudsucker Proxy _Damned_ hard list to come up with. Ask me on another day and the order might shift. #1 and #2 are somewhat interchangeable, #9 is firm ( a clever failure - like **Miller** said, it’s good, not great ). The rest could float at almost any position. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/31 "2003-06-28T03:16:12Z")
Anamorphic-- thanks for the advice about Big Lebowski. I was definitely underwhelmed when I saw it, but I’ve only seen it once. I appreciate the Coens enough to give it another try. I failed to make a list in my previous post-- I will try one now. 1. Blood Simple (one of my top 5 movies ever) 2. Miller’s Crossing 3. Raising Arizona 4. Hudsucker Proxy 5. Barton Fink 6. Fargo 7. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 8. The Big Lebowski ---
**Author:** ![MusicJunkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@MusicJunkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MusicJunkie)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/32 "2003-06-28T03:28:12Z")
Oh Brother Where Art Thou? The Big Lebowsky Fargo I liked all three but the only one I saw more than once was Oh Brother. I really need to watch more of their pictures and see Fargo again. I loved The Great Lebowsky on first viewing for the record. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/33 "2003-06-28T03:34:26Z")
**Miller:** > [@](#): > > I don’t know anyone who liked Big Lebowski on the first viewing. > > I don’t know anyone who hasn’t learned to love it by the third. Nice to meetcha. 🙂 I’ve seen Big Lebowski four times, and I liked it less each time. It’s just no particularly engaging, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/34 "2003-06-28T03:37:31Z")
Hmm. This may require drastic, Clockwork Orange-style intervention. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/35 "2003-06-28T03:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jadis \* > \*\* > Can someone explain to me why The Hudsucker Proxy rates so low on so many people’s lists? Everyone I know who’s seen it (among my friends/family, anyway) absolutely loves it. I think it’s genius. \*\* Jennifer Jason Leigh drives me crazy in this movie. I hate when she does accents; they always sound so affected. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/36 "2003-06-28T04:01:04Z")
[Similar thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=138753&highlight=coen) My choices haven’t changed all that much, but I’m still amazed at the SDMB picks vs. other netizens. On a related note: Does anyone know if **Shut The Fuck Up Donny** was allowed to re-register at SDMB? “ **Donny** ” made quite an impression on me and I hope only the handle was banned, not the poster. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/37 "2003-06-28T20:16:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SolGrundy \* > \*\* And I actually liked a lot about Hudsucker Proxy, I just hated the cast. Especially Jennifer Jason Leigh, who’s on my all-time shit-list for almost single-handedly ruining a Coen Bros. movie. \*\* I think Hudsucker is one of their weakest movies overall, but some parts of it are great, and my _favorite_ part of it is JJL’s performance. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/38 "2003-06-28T20:26:22Z")
1. Miller’s Crossing 2. Raising Arizona 3. O Brother 4. Fargo still have to see the others… But Miller’s Crossing definitely tops my list. One of my all-time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![BadBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BadBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBaby)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/39 "2003-06-29T01:50:11Z")
O Brother Where Art Thou Barton Fink Raising Arizona Fargo Miller’s Crossing Big Lebowski Blood Simple Hudsucker Proxy Barton Fink is the movie that upon first viewing, nearly put me off all Coen Brothers movies. A year later I rewatched it and found I enjoyed it much better. For one, I was expecting a Coen Bros. movie this time, and for another I was more familiar with the plot and saw a lot more that time. Oh, I will also mention that Blood Simple may be ranked a little lower than it deserves. I watched the spanish subtitled version and boy did they get a bunch of stuff wrong. Makes me wonder what I’ve been missing from english subtitled movies. ---
**Author:** ![Foolonthehill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Foolonthehill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foolonthehill)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799/40 "2003-06-29T06:28:47Z")
1. Miller’s Crossing 2. Fargo These two are as good as movie making gets. Not a mistake in them; Great script, World Class acting, Picture Perfect cinematography. Comparable to the best movies on any list. All their other flics are good, but not like the those two. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coen-brothers-movies-how-would-you-rank-them/184799.md?page=3)