A Serious Man

We here at Splice are unashamed Coen Brothers fans. Any regular reader will know that their work tends to send us into a froth and A Serious Man is no different. I've already popped it into my films of the year list so this is just a quick roundup of why it's bloody great.

It's easily the most Coen-like of all Coen movies. It's their Jewish film and as a result I'll admit to feeling that I've missed a few things in this thanks to not being up on the Jewish stuff. But that doesn't matter, it just adds to the whole mystique of the film. It's essentially a pretty meaningless little tale, but one that appears to be about very weighty subjects like God and faith and how life treats you. But in the end it feels like the Coens are playing a bit of a trick on the viewer making them try to interpret what they're seeing when in reality there isn't actually much to interpret. The key to the whole thing is the dentist finding messages in teeth story in the middle and how that just peters out. The Coens have made a lot about how their previous films were just little yarns and that the in depth analysis was the result of people over thinking. A Serious Man almost dares you to do just that.

It isn't some serious drag of a movie though. In fact it's absolutely hilarious, quirky, obscure and a trove for those who love Coen Brothers films. List all those reoccurring features you love and you'll probably be able to tick them off while watching A Serious Man. And in response to No Country's and Burn After Reading's obtuse endings we get another one. It's a great end but one that feels like a fuck you to the haters.

Basically if you love the Coens see A Serious Man. If you don't, see it anyway. It'll give you lots to complain about.