A Serious Man Review

A Serious Man: The Coen Brothers' latest effort focuses on a Midwestern Jewish man who is on the verge of a breakdown. Larry Gopnik is a married man and the father of two who sees his life unravel from just about every angle. For starters, his wife asks him for a divorce so that she can marry a friend of the family who is a recent widower. His 12-year-old son's main hobbies are getting high and listening to Jefferson Airplane. Meanwhile, he is up for tenure at the school he teaches at, but even that seems like it is about to become a disaster. Larry looks to his faith for answers on why all of this is happening, but he is having trouble finding an answer. If we have learned anything about the Coen Brothers throughout the years, it is that they are masters at creating and showcasing unique perspectives on distinctive characters. A Serious Man is no exception, the characters are so well written that humor pours out of their smallest actions. However, because the film plays so heavily on Jewish heritage I found myself missing out on a lot of that humor. In fact, at times I felt like an outsider looking in at the party. The film also features a serious side that tackles both morals and faith, but that failed to have enough substance and as a result did not work for me. In the Coen Brothers' filmography this would land somewhere in the middle............I'm serious.

Ry's Rating: B- (RAB: Rental At Best)

If this movie had parents they would be: Falling Down & Doubt