From NetFlix:

In a jealous rage, Texas tavern owner Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya) hires unscrupulous private detective Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to not only tail Marty’s two-timing spouse (Frances McDormand, in her big-screen debut) but also murder her and her paramour (John Getz). But events take a surprising turn when the gumshoe double-crosses his client. Joel Coen directs this stylish shocker co-written with brother Ethan Coen.

This is the first film that the Coen Brothers did together. For a recap of their career see the Wikipedia article which makes a table of 17 of their films including Barton Fink (1991), No Country For Old Men (2007), and Romance & Cigarettes (2005).

Violence seems to be their trademark. However, for me the attraction of the film was its firm foundation in gritty, believable reality. Special effects need not apply! The slow acting is pace-perfect. Part of that slow pace owes to an awful lot of actors just staring without saying anything. But in this film that style seems to work. When was the last time you saw a film in which the possible failure of a car to start was especially nerve-wracking ?

25 years ago, a very young Fances McDormand got by with a minimum of acting. John Getz seems to have spent most of his career in TV. Ditto for Dan Hedaya. M. Emmet Walsh is a face you have seen everywhere probably without knowing his name. For me Walsh had the most memorable part: evil with an ironic sense of humor. His part at the end is unforgettable.

If you want to watch Coen brother films, this is the place to start.