2000, 1 hr 46 min., Rated PG-13 for some violence and language.�A film by Joel and Ethan Coen. Cast: George Clooney (Ulysses Everett McGill), John Turturro (Pete), Tim Blake Nelson (Delmar), John Goodman (Big Dan Teague), Holly Hunter (Penny Wharvey), Ray McKinnon (Vernon T. Waldrip), Charles Durning (Gov. Pappy O'Daniel), Chris Thomas King (Tommy), Sheriff Cooley (Daniel Von Bargen), Michael Badalucco (George 'Babyface' Nelson).

I has a feelin' the Coen brothers done R-U-N-N-O-F-T with the best film of the year! In their new farce, O Brother, Where Art Thou, an epic take of Homer's "The Odyssey" based in the deep South of Mississippi during the Great Depression, three convicts (George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson) escape to get some "treasure." At the same time the trio meets some interesting characters and takes care of some personal business along the way.

Quite frankly, O Brother may well be my favorite film released in 2000. It's quirky, funny, likable, scenic, incredibly pleasing to the ears and has plenty of balance with regards to the treatment of Southern culture. That was one of my worries beforehand, that we'd see a lot of ignoramuses with a penchant for hanging every black man and marrying our sisters.

The Coen brothers went far beyond such stereotypes and actually portrayed the South as diverse, slightly out of step with society at large yet full of kind and colorful people with a love of life, take their time (including those slow drawls) and greatly appreciate manners (no public cussing, y'all!). Thus, my fears were for naught and I had a great time. Yes, there's a KKK rally, but it's handled in such a way that it was silly, looking like the halftime show of the Orange Bowl.

I'm increasingly becoming a fan of Clooney, since out of his touchy-feely romantic tripe of "ER" I've really seen how he connects with the audience. His character, Ulysses Everett McGill, is not the brightest star in the sky, but he has a knack for the English language. At least he talks as if he does, using big words and concepts such as "abstract thought." This is, however, assuming he stops paying attention more to the care of his hair than his situation. There's not enough Dapper Dan hair jelly in the world for him.

Nelson (Delmer) may do the best of the trio with his character in O Brother, as the dumbest and most expressive. Turturro (Pete) has an impressive resume (Quiz Show and The Big Lebowski, among other well-reviewed pictures), and there's no doubt this will be high on the list of his achievements.

The cast of characters along the journey adds to the joy, with Chris Thomas King as Tommy, the black adolescent who sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play the guitar well; John Goodman as the Cyclops, Big Dan Teague, who may sell Bibles but apparently doesn't read them; Holly Hunter as Clooney's wife (or ex-wife) and mother of their girls; Charles Dunning as Gov. Pappy, not exactly having the easiest time with his current campaign for re-election; Michael Badalucco ("The Practice") as bank robber George "Babyface" Nelson; and the sirens may not have names, but they sure do make an impression (let's just say that the guys should have tied themselves to the car and driven quickly past their alluring song, not to mention wet clothes).

Best of all, however, may be the music. You don't have to grow up Southern to have a fondness for the bluegrass, spirituals and blues that are heard throughout the film. Check out the official Web site to hear a flavor on the pages and the virtual jukebox, it will be worth your while.