The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs Review: 4 Ups & 4 Downs

Ups...

4. The Stacked Ensemble Cast

Make no mistake, the Coens have amassed an incredible ensemble cast to fill out each of their shorts, and it goes without saying that the film wouldn't be nearly as watchable without so many talented actors in the mix.

The clear stand-outs are Tim Blake Nelson as the peppy, blood-thirsty psychopath Buster Scruggs himself, Tom Waits as a gold-panning prospector with one of the year's most delightful screen beards no less, and Zoe Kazan and Bill Heck as a star-crossed pair taking a perilous wagon journey across the prairies.

Though a few of the actors are unquestionably underserved by the material - especially Liam Neeson and Brendan Gleeson - it's simply fun seeing so many famous names and faces playing around in this western sandbox.

Again, it's a shame there's not more for them to work with, but it's easy to understand why they all took the gig.