Blood Simple landed in 1984, the Coen brothers’ first feature and a lean Texas noir set around a bar near Austin. The plot’s simple on the surface: a jealous husband, a crooked private eye, and a couple trying to slip free. One bad move turns into a chain of double-crosses, paranoia, and late-night violence. Frances McDormand makes her screen debut, and M. Emmet Walsh brings that sweaty, unhinged edge as the PI. Shot on a small budget with big style, it’s all shadows, neon, and slow-burn tension