O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?
Starring George Clooney, John Tuturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Charles Durning, John Goodman, Michael Badalucco, Holly Hunter, Stephen Root and Daniel Von Bargen. Original Music by T-Bone Burnett. Cinematography by Roger Deakens. Written by Joel and Ethan Coen, based upon "The Odyssey" by Homer. Produced by Ethan Coen. Directed by Joel Coen.
What can I say? I love the Coen Brothers films. Every damn one of them has been nothing less than stellar. I look forward to a new Coen Brothers film, like I look forward to a new John Irving book, or a new Grendel comic. Or a new album by Pink Floyd. It’s that kind of devotion that we’re talking about. I’ve not always had a chance to check them all out on the big-screen, I’ve seen every one, from Blood Simple to their latest. Damn, they are fine filmmakers.
And "O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a fine film. You know it’s going to be different during the opening credits. Especially when the card for "Based on ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer" comes up, and the audience laughs. It’s that kind of flick. I don’t remember laughing harder. Well, maybe for "There’s Something About Mary", but that was potty humor. This is based on Homer.
George Clooney plays Ulysses Everett McGill, who with the accompaniment of Pete Hogwallop (John Tuturro) and Delmar O’Donnel (Tim Blake Nelson in a star-turning performance), break out from a Mississippi chain gang in the opening sequence. These three follow the path laid out for them two-thousand or so years ago, with Odysseus trek following the Trojan war, as beaten into us in 10th grade English class by old women who don’t know how fun good literature can be to teach. I had the opportunity to study "The Odyssey" again about five years ago, in my Western Civ class at community college, and I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. It didn’t come off as being dreary or dated at all. Which is probably why I really enjoyed picking up the nuances of this adaptation. For example, there’s no one character who equates to Circe, the sorceress who turns Odysseus’ men into pigs, but there is a nice recurring theme of pigs in the film. John Goodman portrays the Cyclops as a one-eyes KKK member. It’s stuff like that I really enjoyed. Oh that and the Sirens. Woof. I found that Christy Taylor who plays one of the sirens, has a web-site, and it’s at
http://www.filmactress.com/. I checked it out this morning, for quite awhile. Mussetta Vander, who plays another Siren, has a ton of fan-made sites, but I won’t list them here. If you’re interested, check out her listing on the IMDB.Clooney is in top form here as the fast talking, erudite Everett, the man with the mission. I like Clooney, I really do. It’s a sad affliction, I know, but I think the guy has a rogues charm going for him. It saddened me to see him leave ER, but I knew he had to go. Turturro is one of the Coen’s classiest frequent contributor, and turns in another good performance. Almost stealing the show though, are Time Blake Nelson, and Charles Durning. I checked out Nelson’s listing on the IMDB, and there wasn’t anything great that I’d missed, but I predict a stellar future for him. As for Durning, well I’ve liked him for years, and here he ALMOST steals every scene he’s in. The only other performance of his the I can think of that is better is in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", but then he sings in that flick. Coen mainstay Holly Hunter shows up in an extended cameo also. She’s always fun.
Did I mention the Sirens?
Several of televisions better character actors, Michael Badalucco (from the Practice), and Stephen Root (Jimmy James on NewsRadio, and the voice of Bill on King of the Hill) and Daniel Von Bergen (the Commandant on Malcolm in the Middle) contribute nice sequences also. The acting is all top notch.
The Coens are always great writers, infusing their pieces with wit and humor not found in many mainstream productions. Quick examples are Everett’s obsessing with his hair (and his hair treatment), and George Nelson’s manic depression brought on by a woman in the bank he’s holding up calling him by his famous nickname "Babyface."
In recent memory, I can only think of a few movies where watching them made me want the soundtrack immediately. "Curdled" was one. What you’ve never heard of "Curdled"? It’s great, check it out. Woody Allen’s "Sweet and Lowdown" is another. The music in this film is awesome, a combination of old country and bluegrass. If you have a frivolous bone in your body, you will enjoy it.
I can’t recommend it enough. I’m going to take my girlfriend to see it when she gets back from Utah.
My Rating **** ½ out of 5.