I had the opportunity to watch the Coen brothers’ movie A Serious Man last night. This comedy/drama stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed and more. These two surprise me with every film they make. Usually when you go to the movies to see a film by Tim Burton, Michael Bay, Wes Craven, Spike Lee, etc., you have an idea of what to expect. The Coen brothers are always putting themselves out there and trying something new which is one of the reasons why I love their work. Just when you think you know what you’re about to watch, they always throw in a curve ball and add a unique twist to make a film that rises above the competition. I was baffled by the opening scene of the movie when I realized it was in a foreign language and thought about checking to make sure I put the right one in the DVD player. I gave it a few moments and realized that this may have been just a skit to introduce the plot of the film. The skit was creepy and dramatic while delivering a symbolic message of the point the directors were trying convey. The main character, Larry Gopnik, is a Jewish man living in the 1960’s who is faced with more than one crisis at the same time. The character struggles with divorce and the possibility of not getting tenure at the school where he teaches. He is so consumed with his own thoughts and worries that he barely has a connection to his son and daughter. His brother lives at his house and sleeps on the couch but is constantly getting himself into trouble with the law. Larry faces many moral dilemmas while teetering on the verge of a midlife crisis, not to mention, a nervous breakdown. A Serious Man can be interpreted in a few different ways. I found that this was a drama that touched on Jewish beliefs and gave us an idea of what it might be like for someone in this character’s shoes to overcome the obstacles presented to him. The movie was lightened up with just enough comedy so it wouldn’t become too dismal. The character is always struggling to make the right choices and looks to his rabbi for the answers. He may find out that sometimes we just don’t get an explanation of why things like these happen to us, they just do. The most important thing might be just to deal with life head-on and move on without digging too deep into why and how things happen. The best choices in life aren’t always the easiest. It is sometimes difficult to be honest with everything we do and always make the correct moral choices when we are presented with enticing opportunities that could make us stray from what we believe in. It can be especially difficult to maintain a moral lifestyle when everyone around you seems to be getting away with breaking all the rules and getting what they want. Expect to think while you watch this movie rather than just lying back and being entertained. You can’t go wrong with Michael Stuhlbarg as the lead actor. I can’t think of anyone who could carry this film the way he did. He brings this movie to life as we hang on his every expression. Great work Coen brothers. Again! More Coen brothers movies to check out: Burn After Reading No Country for Old Men O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? The Big Lebowski Fargo By: Frank Bilotta
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