It's the Coen brothers at their best. Larry Gopnik is a struggling physics professor in 1967 midwest suburbia. It's all flat green lawns and bungalows with tv antennas and lots of wood paneling. The Coen's grew up in this kind of environment apparently. Gopnik's next door neighbor is a mean looking, gun-toting red-neck. Things get bad and complicated for Gopnik when his wife wants to leave him. His unemployable live-in brother and his annoying kids add to his troubles. He soon agrees to move himself and his brother to the Flying Dutchman Motel. Then a student manipulates him in order to get a passing grade. Gopnik consults three different rabbis to help him understand his problems to no avail. This is a well cast movie with no big stars and wonderful attention to detail. The interiors brought back just how terrible the decor and furniture was back then. Same with the clothing. Notice Gopnik's pant length way up his legs. I'm sure Jon Stewart would describe this film as very Jewy. They kept referring to non-Jews as "Goys". Just from the point of period detail and the delving into Jewish culture the film offers plenty enough. It is darkly funny throughout. As for the meaning of life and story of Job which this film presents -- I need to see this movie again because I have to admit I was not being quite prepared for the deep philosophy involved. Not that the Coens gave us any real answers.
Directed and written by Ethan and Joel Coen USA 2009 9/10
It's the Coen brothers at their best. Larry Gopnik is a struggling physics professor in 1967 midwest suburbia. It's all flat green lawns and bungalows with tv antennas and lots of wood paneling. The Coen's grew up in this kind of environment apparently. Gopnik's next door neighbor is a mean looking, gun-toting red-neck. Things get bad and complicated for Gopnik when his wife wants to leave him. His unemployable live-in brother and his annoying kids add to his troubles. He soon agrees to move himself and his brother to the Flying Dutchman Motel. Then a student manipulates him in order to get a passing grade. Gopnik consults three different rabbis to help him understand his problems to no avail. This is a well cast movie with no big stars and wonderful attention to detail. The interiors brought back just how terrible the decor and furniture was back then. Same with the clothing. Notice Gopnik's pant length way up his legs. I'm sure Jon Stewart would describe this film as very Jewy. They kept referring to non-Jews as "Goys". Just from the point of period detail and the delving into Jewish culture the film offers plenty enough. It is darkly funny throughout. As for the meaning of life and story of Job which this film presents -- I need to see this movie again because I have to admit I was not being quite prepared for the deep philosophy involved. Not that the Coens gave us any real answers.
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