The Films of the Coen Brothers

Uzi Ben-Ami, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, studied at the University of Maryland, College Park. For more than 30 years, Uzi Ben-Ami, Ph.D., has provided individuals in Montgomery County, Maryland, with a variety of psychological services and support. Away from work, he enjoys taking photographs and watching the films of Joel and Ethan Coen.

Joel and Ethan Coen have established themselves as two of the most well-known filmmakers in America over the course of more than three decades, accrued 13 Academy Award nominations, and released a number of critically and commercially successful movies. After two early efforts, Blood Simple and Crimewave, the Coen brothers gained notice with their off-brand comedy Raising Arizona. The film starred Nicolas Cage and ultimately grossed nearly $23 million, more than six times the combined gross revenue of the brothers’ first two efforts.

Between 1996 and 2000, the filmmakers transitioned into the mainstream, while remaining critically viable. Fargo, the team’s seventh film, grossed more than $24 million and netted the brothers nominations for Best Director and Best Film Editing at the 1997 Academy Awards, not to mention a win for Best Writing for the Screen. Two years later, the Coens released what would become one of their most enduring films, The Big Lebowski, a dark comedy that received approval ratings of 81 percent from critics and 94 percent from audiences on the Rotten Tomatoes website. In 2000, O Brother, Where Art Thou? starring George Clooney, was met with further acclaim and financial success.

In 2007, Joel and Ethan Coen released their 14th film, No Country for Old Men. The movie grossed $74 million and won Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay. In more recent years, the brothers have released several other notable films, such as True Grit, which brought in more than $170 million, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Bridge of Spies.