Emmers

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May 16, 2012

1,306 notes

(Source: cait-sidhe, via allisonelisabeta)

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May 15, 2012

4 notes

notbillcollins:

O Brother Where Art Thou (2000)

Pros:

A brilliant example of the Coen Brothers at their very best…like Fargo and The Big Lebowski ‘O Brother…’ is an example of how imaginative and attentive to plot, character and music these two Hollywood exemplars are (a lesson to the vast majority of pap manufacturing directors and producers who create multiplex fodder).

Not since ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ has depression era rural America looked so vivid and real.

The cast of main and secondary characters are all well-rounded, whilst at the same type not shy of using caricature to make a comedic point.

The music is sublime, and ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’s’ soundtrack would easily rank in the top 5 of the last twenty years.

Not one performance falls flat. Of particular note are Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar and Charles Durning as Menelaus “Pappy” O’Daniel. George Clooney shows a deft hand at comedy and John Turturro is great value as almost always. John Goodman almost steals the film whilst Ray McKinnon has a quick impact with his limited role as Everett’s rival for Penny McGill (Holly Hunter).

The episodic nature of the film doesn’t work against it, in fact it helps sustain interest and energy. Like ‘The Odyssey’ (upon which it was loosely based) the incidents upon the way form a better narrative than focusing on the changes in Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) and his fellow escapees (in fact they are still true to type from the beginning to the end of the film).

Cons:

Roger Ebert says that he left the film uncertain and unsatisfied. Perhaps an argument can be mounted that the movie ends too conventionally, with too many loose ends still to be resolved. Having said that I can appreciate the almost open-ended closing of the film…after all, that is more true to life.

Final Rating:

5 out of 5 Bill Collins