Scene Comparison: The Coin Toss The award winning film, No Country for Old Men, adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s 2007 novel, is a riveting tale of a brutal chain of events related to money, murder, and drugs, which rolls through West Texas in the 1980’s. Told through the perspective of the stories three main characters – a soulless killer, an old time sheriff, and an experienced country boy – both the novel and the film keep the audience anxiously waiting for the next gun fight or brutal killing. Amazingly, the film’s adaptation, directed by brothers Ethan and Joel Coens, manages to capture the themes and overall essences of the novel by maintaining all distinguishing mannerisms and dispositions of the characters; while also keeping the
So although the scene in the films, lacks some of the details of the novel, it arguably does a better job of expressing this specific scene.
As stated previously, this scene in both the novel and the film is responsible for introducing the coin and its implication to the plot of the story. Since the coin reappears later in the closing scenes of the narrative, it is critical that its significance is accurately portrayed through the early encounters in the novel. Besides, contributing to the plot of the story, the coin also provides insight and gen into Chigurh’s twisted ethical code, understanding of fate and his general character.
Both the novel and the film equally manage to illustrate the coin as instrument of fate – the belief that everything happens for a reason. In Chigurh’s sick morality code, he uses the coin as a means for mercy and as an opportunity for a person he deems worthy to potentially be spared; however, just because Chigurh provides the opportunity does not mean that fate will allowed them to be saved. Essentially, Chigurh places so much faith in the doings of the universe, notably whether the coin lands on heads or tails, that he places the full responsibility on the coin and he unquestionably allows the coin’s