The Coen Brothers latest, a black comedy set in the Midwest during the late 1960’s, we see the life of university professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stulbarg) unravel and fall to pieces. We get an often sad and disheartening message that the entire exercise of life is too often one of futility. There are so many things outside of our control and life can be filled with pain and disappointment.
Like a lot of things in a Coen Brothers movie, there are things which I didn’t understand. That is a common theme with many of their films, they don’t explain everything. Some are left for you to figure out, some are left completely unknown. That upsets some people, and I can understand that. In some films it even upsets me. But, in this film, that degree of the unknown, those bits that are beyond our understanding, the doubts, they all seem to work quite well. I am sure that by not being Jewish myself there are things I missed as well.
The Coens have made a seriously dark comedy here. There are some mild laughs and chuckles, but there is so much more emphasis on the black than their is on the comedy. We see bad things happen to normal people. It is like real life, and in a way these are probably some of the most real characters the Coen’s have come up with. There is nothing special about the people in this film, they are just average folk. And, bad things happen to average folk all the time. If you are hoping for a quirky dark comedy like “Fargo”, turn elsewhere. This film will leave you a bit depressed, a bit confused, but, hopefully, satisified with a great piece of cinema.
Now, it is these truly human characters that make the film live and breathe. I think the acting was done wonderfully. Generally the acting is something I can depend on in a Coen Brothers film. Michael Stuhlbarg plays the poor sap of Larry Gopnik so perfectly. Everyone helped to really bring the story to life. Of course a large part of that comes from the script and the expert direction of the Coen’s too.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I walked into the theater. I always have this sense of apprehension when I see a Coen Brother’s movie, especially when I haven’t heard anything about it. This is not going to be one of their more commercially accepted films, and I am glad that they have enough clout that they can make the movies they want, without too much worry about having a blockbuster. Sure, I’d love to see every Coen brothers movie rake in the dough, but as long as they can continue to make great films, I’ll be happy. I knew I wouldn’t know everything that was going on, I knew that it would be a little out of left field, a little odd, a little off-putting, a little uncomfortable. It was all of that and more. I said eralier that it may leave you depressed, but thinking more on it, it actually makes me feel a little more free. Free in knowing that I can’t control everything, that things will happen to me no matter what I do. I need to make the most of what I’ve got, because things outside of my sphere of control can change my life on a whim. Not the best film they have ever done, but definitely in the top 5, this one gets 4 1/2 Axes.