There are several effective moments - some approaching near-brilliance - but they are encased in a meandering storyline. It lacks the explosion of inventive audacity that has characterized the Coens' strongest endeavors. The Coens have been making this kind of fare longer than most functioning filmmakers, but O Brother, Where Art Thou? fails to pull all of the strands together. These days, quirky movies are a dime a dozen. O Brother, Where Art Thou? will not be remembered as one of the Coens' great works - it's on a level below the likes of Blood Simple and Fargo. The filmmakers' trademark quirkiness is in evidence, but it often feels forced and the comedic elements are inconsistent. Fans of the Coens may be disappointed by this effort, however. Or, to put it another way, it's a period piece road movie about a trio of ex-cons who wend their way around the state of Mississippi during the Great Depression. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is essentially Homer's "The Odyssey" by way of the Coen Brothers with an assist from Preston Sturges (the title comes from the Sturges film, Sullivan's Travels).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |