Rating: Summary: Great acting, even better music. Review: George Clooney's incredible in this picture as Everett McGill. Coen regulars Tuturro and Goodman give there usual great preformances. The music is outstanding from the Soggy Bottom Boys to bluegrass and jazz. If you're a blues fan watch out for the Robert Johnson reference.
Rating: Summary: The Coen brothers are the best modern storytellers.... Review: I've been anticipating this film for several months, and when I finally got the chance to see it, I was not disappointed. The Coen brothers are the masters of subtle comedy that make their stories able to be watched over and over again while still seeming fresh. Roger Deakins was robbed this past Oscar night for the Best Cinematography award. The cinematography in this film is amazing. He was able to give it the gritty feeling of the time period, while still keeping it bright and sunny, just beautiful. For everyone that hasn't seen it this film, find it and see it, it's funny, well written, and well photographed. Watch out for that cow! That's it I'm DONE!
Rating: Summary: Top 3 comedy of all time! Review: What an incredible ride! I've seen it twice in the theatre and I am eagerly awaiting its release on DVD. To be perfectly candid, this movie is hard to compare to other comedies in the theatre, because it is in a league of its own. A very well thought story with references to not only literature, but also classic films (The Wizard of Oz). The dialogue was out of this world! What tremendous characters and great adventures! Check this one out!
Rating: Summary: You've gotta be from the right place to enjoy this one. Review: This movie was hilarious from start to finish. I was born and reared in the South and without thinking understood the over-the-top way all the chararcters and dialogue were presented in this film. I currently live in Kansas City and when I was at the movies it was painfully obvious that my friends from the South and I were the only ones who found anything in the movie even remotely humorous. The film plays off stereotypes that everyone in the theater obviously believed to be true and found nothing funny about them.
Rating: Summary: Outstanding Review: I have seen this movie and I am not a person that laughs much. I laughed through out the entire movie and have seen it the second time and am ordering the DVD where I can enjoy it at home when ever I want or need a good laugh.
Rating: Summary: A Tribute to "The Wizard of Oz" Review: This movie is all American, great music and heartfelt acting. The critics, and the reviews below, all mention that the film is loosely based on Homer's, "Odyssey". A tag line begins the film mentioning the same. In an interview, the Cohen brothers stated they have not read Homer's poem. This makes a lot of sense when one remembers that the tag line for "Fargo" states the film is based on a true story; the Cohen brothers later said it is a fictional story. With that said, I have to say that I believe "Oh Brother..." is loosely based on the movie, "The Wizard of Oz." Think back on these scenes and characters: The bounty hunter is really the wicked witch. When they rescue their friend from the KKK reminds me of the scene when the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion rescue Dorothy from the witch's castle. All scenes on the road in "Oh Brother..." are tinted a yellowish color; hence follow the yellow brick road. The three characters led by Clooney are not seeking a treasure, but the Wizard to give them a pardon and that Wizard is the Governor. The flood near the end of the film is an analogy to the Tornado. Floating by are old tires, a dog and other items. Next time you watch "Oh Brother..." think along these lines and you'll probably find more references to the "Wizard of Oz."
Rating: Summary: Don't Miss This! Review: If you want to see a movie full of laughs, this if for you. It is refreshing to come out of the theatre feeling good and not emotionally drained for a change. The cast does an outstanding job of making the characters believable and likeable. The soundtrack really ties the whole thing together with a blend of old gospel and folk songs such as "Down to the River to Pray", and "The Big Rock Candy Mountains". If you are looking to find the meaning of life, look elsewhere, but if you just need to relax and have a good time for a couple of hours, this is without a doubt one of the best movies of the year.
Rating: Summary: "Sullivan's" Film Finally Makes It To The Screen Review: Producers/writers/directors Joel and Ethan Coen evoke the essence of such classic films as "Sullivan's Travels" and "I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang," with their Depression Era comedy, "O Brother Where Art Thou?" directed by Joel Coen and starring George Clooney. Borrowing the title of the "meaningful" film that successful comedy filmmaker Sullivan wanted to make in the 1941 Preston Sturges film "Sullivan's Travels," and finally-- in reality-- making it, is only the beginning of this clever, funny tale based on Homer's "The Odyssey." The hero here is one Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney), who along with two others, Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson), escapes from a chain gang, commencing an "odyssey" for the trio wherein they ultimately traverse many of the railroads, back roads and tank-water towns scattered throughout the good State of Mississippi. It becomes an adventure of the first magnitude as the three cohorts encounter situations and characters that are humorous and sometimes poignant, and-- for the audience-- always fun. It's a richly woven tapestry of Americana (including plenty of traditional music) that is bound to leave an indelible impression in the mind of the viewer. Leading man Clooney has one of his best character roles yet-- it's a Clooney we've never quite seen before-- and he is more than up to the task. Invested with the mustache and rugged good looks of Clark Gable, and with his natural charisma working overtime, he creates a likable, articulate character that stands out in marked contrast to just about every other character in the film. And he's a joy to watch; his Ulysses is a real kick from start to finish, and it's a performance that is worthy of an Oscar. Turturro, as well, creates one of his most memorable screen characters, drawing heavily upon the naturally quirky side of his own personality and accentuating his own unique physical traits which lend themselves so well to the embodiment of Pete. And Nelson does the same with his Delmar; like Turturro, he successfully captures the soul of the character, both physically and emotionally, and-- it must be mentioned-- both actors (with Coen's help, of course) manage to avoid the trap of making their characters mere stereotypes, and it's one of the reasons they are so engaging: These guys are the genuine article. The extraordinary supporting cast, all of whom individually create truly original characters in their own right, includes Holly Hunter (Penny), John Goodman (Big Dan), Chris Thomas King (Tommy), Charles Durning (Pappy O'Daniel), Del Pentecost (Junior O'Daniel) and Michael Badalucco in a memorable turn as George "Babyface" Nelson. Not content to sit on their laurels, the Coen Brothers constantly seek to expand the boundaries of their personal cinematic universe, and they succeed splendidly with "O Brother Where Art Thou?" It's a rousingly warm and witty and-- most importantly-- highly entertaining and creative film that takes the viewer on an unforgettable journey. The Coen's distinct imprint, like the cinematic equivalent of The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, is stamped on every frame of the film, and it's like an assurance of quality and a good time to be had by all. There's magic in the movies the Coen Brothers make, and this one goes far toward proving what anyone who has followed their movies over the years knows already: Nobody does it quite like Joel and Ethan. This one is not to be missed.
Rating: Summary: NOT THEIR BEST FILM Review: The destination for this road-film is too sketchy to provide much structure, and the three traveling protagonists are too shallow for drama but too flat for silly humor of the Dumb and Dumber variety. The Coen brothers (never known for subtlety) overdo the film's Southern Gothic elements, diminishing its effectiveness. By trying to make almost everyone in Mississippi look like sideshow freaks, the film provides no foils for its strange protagonists. The film explicitly acknowledged its debt to the Odyssey, but the various allusions to the epic poem serve no other purpose than to let the viewer smugly congratulate himself for recognizing them. It's not a boring or bad film, and the music is excellent, but this is not a must-see Coen brothers film.
Rating: Summary: The Best Film Of The Year! Review: Three escaped convicts in 1930's Mississippi (Clooney, Turturro, and Nelson) try to evade their hunters while also searching for some hidden loot, and ultimately, hope to get home to their families. Along the way they come in contact with colorful Southern characters, including Baby Face Nelson (Badalucco).
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