Roll-M: Movie Review |
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Daniel Von Bargen, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning; written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, based upon “The Odyssey” by Homer; directed by Joel Coen; rated PG-13.)
Funny thing about Coen Brothers films. Most people are either mad about them or don’t care the least for these predictably quirky films. Without a doubt, I fall into the first category. I’m a Coen Brothers nut. Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Fargo – these are a few of my favorite films.
To this list, I must now add O Brother, Where Art Thou? Loosely based on Homer’s The Odyssey, the story follows the lives of three Mississippi chain gang escapees, led by Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney), journeying down the road of life, searching for buried treasure while encountering a passel of weird characters, including a one-eyed Bible salesman (John Goodman, a Coen Bros. regular), Babyface Nelson and Ulysses’ wife Penny (Holly Hunter, another Coen staple).
George Clooney proves once again that he is an excellent actor, capable of playing a wide range of roles. In O Brother, he brings to mind the glory days of Clark Gable (and he bears an uncanny resemblance to the late actor). John Goodman hams it up as the Cyclops knockoff, and Holly Hunter’s delivery is a virtual reprise of her character in Raising Arizona.
Aside from the unwieldy title, this film is outstanding. Bring your own quirky sense of humor with you to the theatre – there’s a hilarious KKK scene, for example – and you’ll have a rollicking good time.