Joel & Ethan Coen
La Ballata di Buster Scruggs

LA RECENSIONE

The hunter, the explorer Daniel Boone, one year before the declaration of American independence from the British Empire, crosses the Appalachians: the mountain range that separated the 13 Colonies from the frontier territory, occupying, albeit for just one year, unknown and dangerous lands in Kentucky. We can say that the seeds of the western genre are planted here. It's not that George Washington was quite happy because this "white savage" paved the way for bloody and costly wars of conquest that the founding fathers certainly wanted to undertake but, no, not so quickly. Boundless and unknown lands, grim life, and survival above all to try to prevail over death, always hungry for fresh meat. And it is precisely death that is the protagonist, the trait that connects the dots of “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”, the latest work by the Coen brothers.

He walks boldly and confidently; the step of someone who has never fallen and thinks it will always be that way.

Screwed, without any apparent hope. An unexpected help makes him relax for a second; he almost believes he made it.

A juicy fruit. Thrown and trampled when there is finally nothing left to squeeze.

The work of a lifetime, the only opportunity, and no, there is no slippery bastard who can snatch it away from him. Not this time.

After so much suffering, normality, a breath of happiness can go to your head. And make you err.

In these lands, it may even happen that you don't even realize it.

A masterful and unique western on the American frontier written in six heterogeneous episodes ranging from comedy to drama to Poe's dark atmospheres for a work that counts among its cast Liam Neeson, Tim Blake, James Franco, and Tom Waits. Superior quality dialogues, original screenplay, and high-level photography that unfortunately could not be fully appreciated in a theater.

Over two hours of great cinema to watch, for once, on that platform we all know. I recommend it.