Irreverent, individual and technically virtuosic, Joel and Ethan Coen make up one of the most original and unconvential partnerships to come out of America at the end of the 20th century. From their debut tour de force Blood Simple to the hugely acclaimed The Man Who Wasn't There, the brothers' films have attracted critical kudos and commercial success in equal measure. Each of their films is unique and all of them defy categorization, yet you're never in any doubt you're watching a Coen brothers movie. From the elegiac Miller's Crossing to the surrealistic Barton Fink and the Odyssean caper O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Coens' films combine cinematic innovation with an instantly recognizable aesthetic. This guide is a chronological exploration of the movie career of Hollywood's best-loved outsiders; it combines indispensable reference material with critical analysis of their films and charts their rise from cult favourites to box-office contenders.