There
aren't really that many sure bets when it comes to movies. Even our favorite film-makers
are bound to stumble. When I think sure bets, I think Martin Scorcese. The guy
has never made a film I didn't like. The same is true with those rambunctious
Coen Brothers. Sure, The Big Lebowski wasn't the best Coen Brothers flick but
it was still a great movie. That's my same reaction to their new film O Brother,
Where Art Thou? An ode to Homer's The Odyssey.
In
O Brother..., George Clooney plays a prisoner during the Depression who, with
the help of his chain gang partners, manages to escape the confines of jail and
head out on the lamb. His fellow escapees are played by John Turturro and Tim
Blake Nelson. Following their break, they meet various characters during the course
of their bizaare adventure.
Clooney
is a gas showing a true knack for slapstick comedy. Turturro is also terrific
as the edgiest of the three inmates. Nelson was my favorite, however, as a likable
nitwit. The three play off each other in a Three Stooges type fashion as they
run into one scrape after the other.
"O
Brother" is another visual stunner from the Coens. In fact, this is probably
their best looking picture since The Hudsucker Proxy. This is a movie that makes
the audience feel as if they are in another place and time. Once again the Coens
also show there true passion for quirky dialogue and eccentric characters as this
zany film is full of both. Finally, the film gets a huge boost from it's rip-roaring
bluegrass soundtrack. And although it's completely obvious that most of the musical
numbers are lip synched, it hardly takes away from the energy of these particular
sequences.
My
problem with this picture is the pacing. Unlike Coen masterpieces (Fargo, Barton
Fink etc.), there are moments in "O Brother" that just couldn't hold
my interest. I also found moments to be excessively mean-spirited without a point.
I must admit, the cow sequence really left me laughing, but other moments seemed
unnecessary. I also found that many of the transitions from humor to all out brutality
didn't seem to find balance. That's unusual in a Coen Brothers film because these
guys have a keen eye for mean-spirited comedy.
After
all is said and done, it's virtually impossible to give a negative review to a
Coen Brothers film because there is always something in it worth recommending.
In O'Brother, Where Art Thou?, there's great cinematography, glorious sets, catchy
tunes, and a wide array of wonderfully colorful characters. Even at their worst,
the Coens still know how to make an entertaining movie.
