‘Simply perfect’ Western on Netflix ‘unlike any other’ with 89% score | Films | Entertainment

A modern Western hailed by one fan as “simply perfect”, is streaming now in the UK. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) is an anthology Western comprised of six stories about the bleak reality of life on the American Frontier.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? star Tim Blake Nelson plays the titular singing cowboy, Buster, but there are a number other famous faces on show, including Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, James Franco, and legendary singer songwriter Tom Waits. It was directed by multi-award-winning filmmaking duo the Cohen brothers, known for classics like No Country for Old Men, and The Big Lebowski.

Fans have flocked to Rotten Tomatoes to lavish praise upon the unconventional Old West epic. One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes wrote: “I loved this movie the first time and I have lost count of the number of times I’ve seen it again. I got several extended family members and friends excited too. They all watched it and loved it!”

Another called it an “uncompromising collection of stories of hardship, loss, and betrayal in the old west”, describing the film as: “Simply perfect.”

A third said: “I avoided watching this movie for years, because the trailer looked so bad. I broke down and watched it recently, and it was excellent. The photography was wonderful, the stories offbeat and humorous at times, and the acting was excellent all around.”

A fourth said: “Witty, absurd, and sharply satirical, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is yet another showcase of the Coen Brothers’ masterful command of storytelling.”

A fifth added: “With a stellar cast portraying each of their characters with gusto, this is unlike any other western movie you’ve ever heard of!”

The film is “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, and has a 89% score on the site’s Tomatometer (which reflects the percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given the film a positive review). It also has a strong 78% score among general audiences.

The film has a rating 15, and contains strong bloody violence, according to the British Board of Film Classification – so it may not be for everyone.

The Ballad of Buster Scuggs is streaming now on Netflix.