A Serious Man
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
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Plot Summary
Academy Award®-winning directors Joel and Ethan Coen return to their comedy roots with this original and darkly humorous story about one ordinary man’s quest to become a serious man. Physics professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) can’t believe his life: His wife is leaving him for his best friend, his unemployed brother won’t move off the couch, someone is threatening his career, his kids are a mystery and his neighbor is tormenting him by sunbathing nude. Struggling to make sense of it all, Larry consults three different rabbis and their answers lead him on a twisted journey of faith, family, delinquent behavior and mortality in the film critics rave is “seriously awesome!” (Michael Hogan, Vanity Fair)
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Customer Reviews
This is no Comedy
I rented this movie because it was the Cohen Brothers and it had some reviews on the cover like "Hilarious", "Comedy", "Funny" and "Should be up for movie of the year"!!
It is not a comedy, nor could I call it a black comedy, unless 30 seconds of humour in a 90 minute movie makes it a comedy. It is a very grim, sad and depressing look at one families life as it turns upside down. There is no happy ending, in fact there is no ending, It is like someone has just lent you a book with the last chapter ripped out and you don't find out until you get there. The viewer is left with more questions than answers. Maybe this was the Cohen's intention. It felt to me like I was watching "No Country for Old Men" without the violence.The movie had so much potential, It had a great cast who performed superbly. So I am not sure why I feel disappointed with it. Maybe it was the lack of an ending or even implied ending with no resolution for the characters, or maybe the that the reviews I read of it were so far off the mark in terms of the genre it should be associated with.
In my opinion if you are a Cohen fan then you will really appreciate what you see but expect a weak ending, if you expect to see a light hearted comedy and to be laughing for an hour and a half then I'm certain you will be sorely disappointed.
Not Funny
This film is NOT a comedy. It is one of the bleakest films I have ever seen. If it wasn't a Coen brothers film, I never would have bothered past the first 10 minutes. If you think this film is funny, then prepare yourself to laugh hysterically at 1984 and Apocalypse Now. They're a riot!
Jewish context makes or breaks for the viewer
I find Coen brothers black and a bit twisted. I suspect this movie is very important if you want insight how they got this way. I think that if you don't get American Jewish don't waste time on the movie it is Jewish humour at its blackest. the Allusions are all biblical kabbalistic and very cultural. their view is cynical: perhaps even a bit of self loathing but no doubt auto biographical. I loved it for what it was. a slice of life in a particular community with all of its dark sides and foibles exposed. I especially loved the allogeries that bookmark the central story- one at the beginning and one at the end.. Biblical and large in dimension and proportion. Very clever.
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Also Available
- A Serious Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Various Artists
