rating:
(out of
4 stars)United Kindom, France, United States; 2000
Directed by Joel Coen; produced by Ethan Coen; written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Chris Thomas King
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
Joel and Ethan Coen know a lot about film-making and show that in every
picture they release; 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' is no exception. This is
a terrific film that exists out of a lot of great short films that go on
just a couple of minutes too long. These are small problems I have, although
they did not really matter to me. The single episodes involve escaped
convicts Everett (George Clooney), Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim
Blake Nelson) in events loosely based on Homer's "The Odyssey". I say
episodes since it seems this is the structure of the film. Three characters,
a treasure they are after, a lot of obstacles they have to face, handled
like small little films. There are characters who return, two men running
for Governor, but the single episodes are never about them except for the
final one.
A couple of the people they meet, all with their own problems they bring
along, are bank robber Babyface Nelson (Michael Badalucco), a cyclops named
Big Dan Teague (John Goodman), some Sirens (Mia Tate, Musetta Vander &
Christy Taylor), and a black fellow named Tommy (Chris Thomas King), who has
sold his soul to the devil. All of these episodes are interesting, sometimes
funny, and very well-made. Especially the cinematography from Roger Deakins,
nominated for an Oscar, is marvelous. Some people probably will not like
this film since the episodes fail to become a real film. I agree with that
being the fact here, but I would say that if all single parts are as
entertaining as they are (except for those darn last minutes), why really
bother. Whether you will like it or not, at least you can say the Coen
brother have once again delivered an original piece of cinema.