Rating: 
Summary: Best Picture of the Year
Review: The Coen Brothers,the brains behind such wondeful movies such as Raising Arizona,The Big Lebowski,and Fargo,have brought unto us O Brother Where Art Thou?.I have seen Gladiator,Erin Brokivich,Almost Famous,Chocolat,The Patriot,and Traffic.None of them match up to this movie,not even Traffic.The cast,especially George Clooney,uses the funny and in depth dialogue to bring us much needed humor in this year of non-funny movies(with the exception of What Women Want).The onlything better than the movie is the soundtrack.The Coen Brothers use very special music in their movies(like the Spanish version of Hotel of California in The Big Lebowski),once again,they succeed in this task.With the Coens bringing back Goodman and Hunter,O Brother Where Art Thou? is definately this years Best Picture.
Rating: 
Summary: Of mice and (similarly intelligent) men....
Review: Three cons, hot on the trail of the buried loot of an armoured-car heist, are already on the lam in the depression-era South when "O Brother, Where Art Thou" begins. Normally a twisted, unregenerate land rife with rednecks, lynchings and good-ole-boy politicking (in countless made-for-TV-movies and episodes of Qunatum Leap), in "O' Brother", the South is transformed into a mystical land, teeming with mischievous river nymphs, the occasional treacherous Cyclops (in this case, John Goodman), failing kings (Charles Durning) and their would-be usurpers, and an army of the dead toiling, much as Sissyphus, at rocks. Much of the journey is episodic, with the three escapees cutting a record (which becomes a hit), crossing ways with a Blues musician who admits to having sold out to satan, hitching a ride with the manic-depressive bank robber George ("don't call him 'babyface'"), and crashing a KKK cookout. It's no surprise that directors Joel and Ethan Coen were clearly seized by the magic of the Oddysee, and the trials faced by Everett McGill (George Clooney) would have taxed the mighty and wise Ulysses no less. With its wacked out Coen-style filamtography, and suffused with pre-Nashville (pre-pre-pre-Shania) era music, the film rises above some uninspired modern translation of Homeric poetry.Admittedly, it would be hard to have these charachters developed by these run-ins while preserving their general cluelessness. One attempt to do so at the climax seems facile. With edgy John Turturro palying off the cool Clooney (expertly and subtley prepped to look like Gable), the script never questions its insanities. Like the best Coen pictures, the characters accept every last bit without so much as a wink.
Rating:
Summary: WE THOUGHT YOU WAS A TOAD!
Review: Run, don't walk to see this truly perfect film. Every frame of this giant-sized slice of Americana is fresh and wonderfully inspired. Great acting and direction, superb cinematography, a spine-tingling soundtrack and some of the greatest writing and Mississippi drawls to come out of a movie house. The Coens did it again. ...
Rating:
Summary: just about perfect
Review: We were absolutely mesmerized by this movie. Sure, we're Coen fans, but this transcended our expectations. Incredibly well written, acted and directed, visually glorious, and full of heart and soul (not to mention the sexiest scene put on film in years). Did I mention the music? Never mind those who, as another great Minnesotan said, criticize what they can't understand. Go experience joy. See this movie.
Rating:
Summary: "There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. . . . "
Review: "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the latest cinematic offering from Joel and Ethan Coen, and like the rest of their films it will be loved by some and hated by others. It's both a loose adaption of Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey" and a nod to Preston Sturges' timeless 1942 film, "Sullivan's Travels," in which a young Hollywood director tries to make a serious art film called "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" As in Sturges' film, the story takes place in the era of the Great Depression. The cast features several familiar faces from the Coen stable, including John Turturro, John Goodman, Charles Durning, and Holly Hunter. Dedicated fans of the Coen brothers already know that each film they deliver is nothing like the one that preceded it. With each outing they focus on another film genre and a different style of characters, while still retaining that underlying Coen trademark. There's plenty of sweeping visuals and breathtaking imagery, as well as a rambling storyline that sends Clooney and co. through a myriad of colorful characters and situations. The dialogue is reminiscient of "Raising Arizona," with seemingly rural folks speaking in a verbose vocabulary. The comedic slant of the screenplay is definitely closer to that movie than their darker stuff like "Miller's Crossing" and "Blood Simple." While the film is full of music, "O Brother" is not a musical in the typical sense (that is, no one breaks out into song to express feeling and there are no overblown dance numbers). The spectacular soundtrack is a wonderful mix of bluegrass, blues, folk, gospel, and old-time music that easily earns a place among some of the best soundtrack albums out there. If you enjoy the Coens' overall style of filmmaking, "O Brother" will not disappoint you. As with other efforts that the critics poo-pooed, like "The Big Lebowski," this one will have its detractors (sensitive types may frown at the film's use of southern stereotypes, the Ku Klux Klan, and violence towards cows). But that's something they inevitably get with every release, whether it's Minnesota residents offended by "Fargo" or Jews offended by "Barton Fink." This film is another winner from the talented siblings that will only get better with repeat viewings.
Rating:
Summary: beautiful and smart
Review: Most of the unwashed masses won't like this movie. The humour is intelligent and the movie is rife with literary references. I found it to be a beautiful work of art. The colours are muted so that the whole film looks like a sepia-toned photograph, the characters are wonderfully developed, and the script is great. The bluegrass soundtrack fits the movie perfectly and adds a lot to the mood. I've been recommending it to all my literary friends.
Rating:
Summary: Coen Brothers do it again
Review: This is just what you'd expect from the Coen brothers, namely a quirky, funny movie set in a specific time and space. Just like 'The Big Lebowski' depicted Southern California in the early '90s perfectly, 'Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?' feels authentically well set in the 1930s South. The cinematography, costumes and accents are all spot-on, and the music, especially the Soggy Bottom Boys' hit song, is incredibly catchy and fun. As for the acting, I must admit that I didn't find George Clooney so brilliant at first in comparison to his co-stars John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson, but his character grew on me and Clooney had some incredibly funny scenes in the second half of the movie. And, of course, there's a reason why he doesn't have a strong southern accent either. The only fault I find with the movie is that it really pales in comparison to 'The Big Lebowski', which I honestly consider one of the funniest movies ever made. Most of the big jokes were in the previews for the film and there were a suprising number of dead moments and pointless small characters (I didn't really see the point of including George "Babyface" Nelson in the story). The 'Odyssey' references were weak at best - like John Goodman being the Cyclops because he's blind in one eye. Nonetheless, I'd still recommend this one - it'll leave you with a smile on your face.
Rating: 
Summary: Never thought it was sooo boring!
Review: I've just watched this movie and I found it very boring! I must recognize it's well directed and that some dialogs and scenes are pretty interesting, but not to be seen in almost 2 hours. George Clooney is fine, as well as the rest of the cast, but it does not make the film better. After I saw it, I decided to read the critics and found out this was a failure of the cohen brothers, almost ignored in cannes by the audience. It's surely a musical, with funny sequences and everlasting songs. Whenever I thought the film was over, there were clooney and his troop again... I do not recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Must have DVD for your collection!
Review: Let me just say God Bless the Coen brothers. These two guys from Minnesota have given us some of the most original and funny movies of the last 20 years. After releasing a modern day classic with "THE BIG LEBOWSKI", the Coens then gave us the depression era comedy "O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?". With the Coens you never know what to expect, but you know it will always be a well made movie that gets better with repeat viewings. This movie ranks in the Coens top 3 behind "FARGO", and just ahead of "RAISING ARIZONA". The movie has top notch performances from John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Charles Durning, and if you ask me a very Oscar worthy turn by George Clooney. One of the Coen brothers great talents is too paint a great picture of when and where the story is taking place, and this movie falls right in line. Set in the heart of the Mississippi during the depression, Clooney and his partners in crime travel thru absolutely beautiful delta land in search of their goal. Just watching it makes me want to sip on an ice cold lemonade, no kiddin'. The film transfer and colors are excellent on this release. Basicly, you've got a great movie with great performances, but this all actually takes a back seat to the best part of the movie, the music. Leave it up to the Coens to bring roots music back to the to the attention of music fans everywhere. The music is great, fits right in with the story, and the sound on this disc is perfect. Definetly no complaints with the movie, a must see. The disc includes a cool but not long enough featurette, post production process, the Soggy Bottom Boys music video, theatrical trailer, and a very interesting script to storyboard feature. My only wishes were maybe some deleted scenes, and the ever elusive Coen brothers commentary track. Neither of which appear on this disc, but hey, I can't complain with the overall quality of this movie and disc. This will make a great addition to any collection. Enjoy movie and DVD fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Watchable, but why?
Review: The fact is, I've watched this movie three or four times, right through, without really knowing why. It's not exactly Joyce or Kazantzakis. It isn't that good, and Clooney's role and performance are irritating. He didn't play the part well. The songs aren't so very terrific, unless you're addicted to that kind of music. I used to sing "You are my Sunshine" during WWII when I was about 4. I'd heard about Bonnie Face Nelson, and he had a pretty good part. People from the South are often shown as very ugly and extremely fat in movies. The Sirens weren't beautiful, just ordinary. I don't think the Coens really like other people at all: they just watch them. Tommy was a nice fellow, with excellent manners. The cons were very mean to the little kid who rescued them from the burning barn. Early on there were only four days until the valley was to be flooded, then several weeks must have gone by before it actually was. Penelope was not exactly faithful, but she probably wasn't in the original either. That actress has a lot of character: the camera likes her. Probably I just keep on watching it because I'm puzzled and mystified without being bored. You just want to see what happens next, and it could meander on for ever, but stops because it has to. The flood washes nearly all of it away.
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