The Man who wasn't There but was but wasn't as infinitum

I liked this movie. A man was there. He was there merely functioning. Indifferent not only to his job, his wife, his supposed friend 'Big Dave' (who btw was cornholing our protagonist's wife before said pro' stabbed him in the neck with baby knife) but also to...himself.

The whole movie had the feel of a Hitchcock movie interwoven with a classic detective series pre-Columbo. Pre colour. Tension was artfully built and used as an unlikely vehicle for humour and obscurity that landed well for me. When Big Dave's (James Gandolfini) widow shows up at Frank's (Billy Bob Thornton) place you're expecting her to flip the fuck out. Instead she babbles convictedly about Big Dave once been anally probed by some aliens. Saw the whole thing apparently. Yeah.

What's poignant is that Frank's adulterer of a wife seems to get it.

Why does she marry Frank after barely.knowing him? Because fuck it. It was the norm. She liked the fact he didn't talk because what was there to talk about? She knew as soon as she heard that lawyer's argument to bail her out of prison time for murder she was fucked. Her laughter was reassuring and tragic. And also quite funny.

I could relate with Frank up to a point. He felt indifferent. Sure. He really did love his wife and friends and family, maybe? Lost sight of all that and then it took everyone dying to mean something? Seems he just wanted to be passionate about something. Just sad a minor wanted something else.

I really wanted his brother-in-law to be Sean Austin. Don't ask me why. I just did. That's all I have to say on the matter.

3.5 crew cuts out of 5

Editor's note: I meant Ed. Not Frank.