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Parents' Guide to

Blow the Man Down

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Violence, cursing, drugs in excellent dramedy.

Movie R 2020 90 minutes
Blow the Man Down Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

Entertaining

The plot was easy to figure out and the acting was pretty good for what seemed like a “B” flick kind of movie. There was some heavy language like GD which I can’t stand for. Some suspenseful moments and a few violent scenes. All in all it was entertaining but nothing great.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Similar to the best of the Coen Brothers movies, this film does a fantastic job of weaving the local color of the setting into the fabric of the story. Easter Cove, Maine, the setting of Blow the Man Down, is practically a character itself. It's quaint, austere, and hardscrabble, and there's a sense that there's something dark at work in this place in nearly every scene. There's a style to it reminiscent of Fargo, and not just because Easter Cove also has a Paul Bunyan as one of its landmarks. The women in the movie, not unlike Marge Gunderson, are in charge here, and the men are oblivious or oafish at best, and stupid and violent at worst.

The women contend with the aftermath of bad actions borne out of desperate situations. When the story takes hold and the dark secrets begin to be revealed, any Coen Brothers allusions are forgotten, and the movie stands on its own. There are also some darkly funny moments. In an early scene in the "bed-and-breakfast," Enid, the owner, works in her office, seemingly oblivious to the sounds of passion filtering through the ceiling. By the initial appearance of the B&B, it's easy enough to imagine this as the product of a romantic getaway, but then we soon realize that the reality is far different. It's an absorbing story, filled with menace, suspense, and wicked humor. It's just not meant for kids.

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