The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Right now you can watch The Ballad of Buster Scruggs in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 4,454 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Tim Blake Nelson is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Available now on Netflix — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Ballad of Buster Scruggs keeps coming up in conversation. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Vignettes weaving together the stories of six individuals in the old West at the end of the Civil War. Following the tales of a sharp-shooting songster, a wannabe bank robber, two weary traveling performers, a lone gold prospector, a woman traveling the West to an uncertain future, and a motley crew of strangers undertaking a carriage ride. Tim Blake Nelson and Willie Watson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2018. What keeps The Ballad of Buster Scruggs from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a strong candidate. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Tim Blake Nelson anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.