Film: A Serious Man
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg (Body of Lies) and Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
U.S. Release: 2009 (rated R)
Director: The Coen Brothers (Fargo, No Country For Old Men)
Genre: Drama (don't be fooled, it's not a real Comedy)
Runtime: 106 Minutes
The Coen Brothers have been quite the successful duo in the movie business. Every film they release is certain to generate buzz from critics and avid movie goers. A Serious Man was no different from the norm. Upon my first glance at the trailer I knew I wanted to see it. Well finally, after months of longing for the DVD release, my wish was granted.
A Serious Man takes place in an unmentioned Midwest town. Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg) is a Physics Professor at a nearby university and has a typical life. A cushy job, a wife, and two children. One day, however, what he felt were certainties in life, begin to unravel. Larry's wife decides she wants to divorce him to be with their close friend Sy Ableman. So Larry and his deadbeat brother Arthur (Kind) are forced to move into the undesirable motel, Jolly Roger's. As the film progresses, Larry encounters more trials and tribulations in all aspects of life. If only he could talk to the wise Rabbi Marshak, perhaps God's life-plan for him would begin to make sense.
There is a great deal of religious undertone in A Serious Man. Not only with all of it's references to the Jewish faith, but there's also a large connection between Larry's life and the Book of Job from the bible. Job's story speaks of his "wrestle" with God, which is in no coincidence something the main character is experiencing. In Larry's life he's a rational, gentle, and reserved man. All traits that lead to his downfall. Often, throughout the film, you hear him say "I haven't done anything". Perhaps this is the reason things are spiraling out of control.
A clever point the directors make in the film revolves around the concept of karma. Does God reward the good and punish the bad? Or, as quoted by Jesus, "... that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous." As the film progresses toward its finale, some will view the open-ended final scenes of A Serious Man as a direct relation to karma, while others will see them as the uncontrollable realities that the good and the bad in life must face.
I felt as though A Serious Man was nothing shy of a thought provoking film. Like always with the sibling directors, the scenes were shot great and the acting was structurally detailed. The film isn't necessarily an easy watch though. Having no real prior knowledge to the inner workings of the Jewish faith, some of the religious humor intended went right over my head, as I am sure it will with many other viewers. On the contrary, when all is said and done, A Serious Man is a film that must be appreciated for it's sole purpose in reinforcing the mysteries of life.
Watch A Serious Man if you enjoyed: No Country For Old Men. Completely different genres, but in each film the Coen Brothers paint a great picture (filmed very similarly) and leave you to figure things out for yourself.
Stars: 2 and a half out of 4
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg (Body of Lies) and Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
U.S. Release: 2009 (rated R)
Director: The Coen Brothers (Fargo, No Country For Old Men)
Genre: Drama (don't be fooled, it's not a real Comedy)
Runtime: 106 Minutes
The Coen Brothers have been quite the successful duo in the movie business. Every film they release is certain to generate buzz from critics and avid movie goers. A Serious Man was no different from the norm. Upon my first glance at the trailer I knew I wanted to see it. Well finally, after months of longing for the DVD release, my wish was granted.
A Serious Man takes place in an unmentioned Midwest town. Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg) is a Physics Professor at a nearby university and has a typical life. A cushy job, a wife, and two children. One day, however, what he felt were certainties in life, begin to unravel. Larry's wife decides she wants to divorce him to be with their close friend Sy Ableman. So Larry and his deadbeat brother Arthur (Kind) are forced to move into the undesirable motel, Jolly Roger's. As the film progresses, Larry encounters more trials and tribulations in all aspects of life. If only he could talk to the wise Rabbi Marshak, perhaps God's life-plan for him would begin to make sense.
There is a great deal of religious undertone in A Serious Man. Not only with all of it's references to the Jewish faith, but there's also a large connection between Larry's life and the Book of Job from the bible. Job's story speaks of his "wrestle" with God, which is in no coincidence something the main character is experiencing. In Larry's life he's a rational, gentle, and reserved man. All traits that lead to his downfall. Often, throughout the film, you hear him say "I haven't done anything". Perhaps this is the reason things are spiraling out of control.
A clever point the directors make in the film revolves around the concept of karma. Does God reward the good and punish the bad? Or, as quoted by Jesus, "... that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous." As the film progresses toward its finale, some will view the open-ended final scenes of A Serious Man as a direct relation to karma, while others will see them as the uncontrollable realities that the good and the bad in life must face.
I felt as though A Serious Man was nothing shy of a thought provoking film. Like always with the sibling directors, the scenes were shot great and the acting was structurally detailed. The film isn't necessarily an easy watch though. Having no real prior knowledge to the inner workings of the Jewish faith, some of the religious humor intended went right over my head, as I am sure it will with many other viewers. On the contrary, when all is said and done, A Serious Man is a film that must be appreciated for it's sole purpose in reinforcing the mysteries of life.
Watch A Serious Man if you enjoyed: No Country For Old Men. Completely different genres, but in each film the Coen Brothers paint a great picture (filmed very similarly) and leave you to figure things out for yourself.
Stars: 2 and a half out of 4
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