9/10
A profound anthology film for the making. The Coen Brothers manage to divert their incredible storytelling talent into six fantastic short stories.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs works like Western folklore to cleverly tell stories that feel the same but are still vastly different. While most explore darker and thought-provoking themes, a few also incorporate hilarious moments of black comedy.
All have some form of a message to takeaway. Some might have you walking away not knowing what to make of the situation and others might make you feel unsure if you’d want to acknowledge it.
Regardless, I found every short story thoroughly entertaining; even if there were certain segments that in my opinion were better than others.
For those wanting to see a masterclass in dramatic storytelling, this is as good as it gets. The Coen Brothers continue to bolster their spectacular filmography with another memorable highlight. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is available on Netflix with limited screenings through traditional cinemas.
Yes, it seems that the legendary writer-director duo pair of the screen has decided to venture into modern distribution platforms and what a venture it is.
And for readers that do choose to watch the film, my favourite segments in descending order are:
Segment 5 – The Gal Who Got Rattled
Segment 1 – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Segment 2 – Near Algodones
Segment 4 – All Gold Canyon
Segment 6 – The Mortal Remains
Segment 3 – Meal Ticket
Trailer: