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Blood Simple

Name: Blood Simple
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Released: 1985-01-18
Cast: John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, Samm-Art Williams, M. Emmet Walsh

1985 | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Out of the Past or The Killing, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Tense, dark and gritty.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 37 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: meant for adults.
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. A chaotic chain of misunderstandings, lies and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerSolid
$4 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 275K people sought it out in the past year