Probably their simplest film and a great starting point if you’re looking to get into the Coens, but not their best effort by a long shot. I attribute that mostly to the directors not quite having found their brand of presenting stupidity in a charming way just yet. It’s a really fun film with a lot of entertaining scenes, however sometimes it tips into annoying/hysterical territory for me. The screwball/slapstick comedy would get perfected on _The Hudsucker Proxy_, while I’d argue _O Brother Where Art Thou_ and _Burn After Reading_ execute the idea of the idiotic protagonist a little better. It’s also not really trying to elevate its premise in any way, this is very much a film that’s to be enjoyed on the surface. Thankfully, there’s a lot going on there. The acting from everyone in the cast is pretty stellar (probably Cage’s most eccentric performance that isn’t OTT), there’s so much interesting camera movement and editing (lots of great POV shots) and the score/music choices are exactly right for the tone they’re aiming for. Overall, this is a wacky, unpredictable ride from start to finish. The sum of its parts doesn’t add up to something more, but I’ll be revisiting this one.

6.5/10

"H.I" (Nicolas Cage) is an habitual petty criminal who gradually falls in love with the police officer "Ed" (Holly Hunter) who has to take his mug shots every time he is apprehended. Finally determined to go straight, they marry and he takes a mundane job in a metal works. It's all going swimmingly, but try as they might they cannot conceive. This affects "Ed" badly, she loses her job and her motivation and they are soon in a rut. Serendipity takes a hand though, one night, when news of the local furniture kingpin "Nathan Arizona" and his wife having quintuplets after IVF is announced. They think that's a bit greedy, and alight on a plan to pinch one of the babies and... Keeping that a secret proves difficult as firstly his boss "Glen" (Sam McMurray) and then two of his erstwhile jailbirds who have escaped from prison - "Gale" (John Goodman) and his brother "Evelle" (William Forsythe) all come to visit and conclude that this miraculous conception and the news headlines are linked! Add to the mix, the motor cycle riding, grenade carrying "Hell Rider" bounty hunter "Smalls" (Randall Cobb) who wants to track down the bairn for the $25,000 reward and we have a perilous mix of comedy and menace that works well for the first hour or so. Cage is on good form for the most part as is Hunter for maybe the first 45 minutes, thereafter though the joke really does begin to wear a bit thin and the comedy a little too puerile. The fun car chases (don't forget the nappies) are entertaining and the script is quickly paced and entertaining, but that too turns to much farce as we head to an ending that I found really quite underwhelming. There's a fun scene with Frances McDormand and the deliberations of the parole board made me smile, and all in all it is still worth a watch.