Movie review: A Serious Man (2010)
A Serious Man is certainly a fitting title for this movie. While there are plenty of awkward laughs and honest laughs, it's definitely not a feel-good popcorn flick. It takes a lot of imagery from the Book of Job, which should give you a hint about the vibe of the movie. And if you think that's a hard enough read, try seeing it on screen with the Coen Bro's brooding, creepy filmmaking flair.
The flick is set in the 60s and revolves around the life of Larry Gopnik. Almost simultaneously, his wife decided to leave him for a friend and an upset student threatens to mess up his upcoming tenure hearing. Meanwhile, his son is trying to outrun the school bully/pot dealer while studying for his Bar Mitzvah. Larry tries to find solace in friends, rabbis, and lawyers, who can't give him the answers he's looking for. As this goes on, he's taking care of his off-kilter brother, who's trying to figure out a mathematical algorithm to unlock the universe. Then things sort of go downhill from there.
Make no mistake, A Serious Man is a serious Coen Brothers movie. If you're expecting kookiness like the Big Lebowski then look elsewhere. The movie has a lot more in common emotionally with Barton Fink and thematically with No Country for Old Men. Like both of those movies (and the lighter O Brother, Where Art Thou), they really set the mood of the era with little details like background props and big ones like the coloration of the film.
The thing I loved most about this film (and all of the Coen's) is the symbolism. Both Larry and his brother were driven crazy by their search for The Big Answer. In a similar vein, it seemed like all the characters that Larry went to for advice were surrounded by stacks of books yet knew nothing. They utilize one of my favorite filmmaking hat tricks, the “pop song as overarching message,” by playing Jefferson Airplane's “Somebody to Love” throughout the film. And this is just a smidgeon. To really dissect the movie would require more than one sitting.
I can't say definitively (because, uh, it's January) but I have a feeling this is going to be at the top of my movie list this year. As much as I love the silly Coen Bros, their serious movies are a magical gut punch that get me thinking for days. That's the caveat with A Serious Man: if you like movies that almost torment your brain as you try to unlock them, then definitely give this a go. If those movies don't interest you or piss you off (especially the latter) then take a big pass on it.
Final verdict: 8/10 (will probably grow with repeat viewings)
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