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MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 2001 โ€บ The Man Who Wasn't There

The Man Who Wasn't There poster

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

7.5/10 ยท 1,825 votes 1h 56m r DramaCrime

#17 of 148 films from 2001 #768 of 3759 in drama

Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen ยท Written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

A tale of murder, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane, a barber in a small California town, is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris' infidelity and a mysterious opportunity presents him with a chance to change it.

Cast

Billy Bob Thorntonas Ed Crane
Frances McDormandas Doris Crane
Michael Badaluccoas Frank
James Gandolfinias Big Dave Brewster
Katherine Borowitzas Ann Nirdlinger Brewster
Jon Politoas Creighton Tolliver
Scarlett Johanssonas Birdy Abundas
Richard Jenkinsas Walter Abundas
Tony Shalhoubas Freddy Riedenschneider
Christopher Kriesaas Officer Persky
Christopher Kriesaas Officer Persky
Brian Haleyas Officer Krebs
Jack McGeeas P.I. Burns
Gregg Binkleyas The New Man

Facts

Release dateOctober 26, 2001
Runtime116 min (1h 56m) โ€” about the same as the 2001 average of 111 min
GenresDrama, Crime
LanguageEN
Budget$20,000,000
Box office$18,918,721 (0.9ร— budget)
IMDbtt0243133

More from Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

No Country for Old MenNo Country for Old Men2007 ยท โ˜… 8.0 ยท 2h 2m The Big LebowskiThe Big Lebowski1998 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 1h 57m FargoFargo1996 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 1h 38m Barton FinkBarton Fink1991 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 57m Miller's CrossingMiller's Crossing1990 ยท โ˜… 7.4 ยท 1h 55m O Brother, Where Art Thou?O Brother, Where Art Thou?2000 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 1h 47m True GritTrue Grit2010 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 1h 50m Inside Llewyn DavisInside Llewyn Davis2013 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 1h 45m

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Questions

How long is The Man Who Wasn't There?
The Man Who Wasn't There runs 116 minutes (1h 56m).
Is The Man Who Wasn't There worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.5/10 across 1,825 votes, which places it #17 of 148 films released in 2001 in this index (top 89%) and #768 among 3759 drama titles.
Who directed The Man Who Wasn't There?
The Man Who Wasn't There was directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. Other well-rated titles by the same director: No Country for Old Men (2007), The Big Lebowski (1998), Fargo (1996).
Who stars in The Man Who Wasn't There?
Billy Bob Thornton as Ed Crane; Frances McDormand as Doris Crane; Michael Badalucco as Frank; James Gandolfini as Big Dave Brewster; Katherine Borowitz as Ann Nirdlinger Brewster; Jon Polito as Creighton Tolliver.
What is The Man Who Wasn't There rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for The Man Who Wasn't There?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/19044.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.