Review: A Serious Man

Watched this last night and really enjoyed it. My favourite film thing is watching threads slowly build and resolve - the more interwoven and confusing the better, like a puzzle. It's why Burn After Reading is so good, because they build the individual plots up for a while, then introduce a few unexpected foreign elements and trash it all to hell.

This was very, very slow, but worth sitting through to have the ending for consideration.

I just finished watching this movie on my computer. I say "finished watching" because it took me like three days.

The woman in front of me during New Moon kept checking her phone and replying to texts. Can't say I blame her. At one point in the film, I was concentrating more on reading her reply about what she was having for dinner that night.

*beef wellington*

I'd welcome an angry rant. I paid $13 to watch The Men Who Stare At Goats with a couple sitting behind me who were let's say, otherwise engaged throughout the movie, and one massive fat woman who laughed so hard, I nearly started to try to purposefully find things not funny just so I wouldn't be like her.
There should be a screening process. Or adjustable soundproof walls with the ability to isolate a one-person seat, or two if you have friends, or a whole row if you're Mr fucking popular. Or it's your birthday.

They did look quite hard, though. Still, made me angry. Or serious, if you will. [holds for laughter]

I feel a rant brewing. The idea of watching a film with 200 other people all chewing on snacks like cows seems very antiquated to me now.

I'd've had them kicked out.
Bastards.

Don't see the American Beauty comparisons really. Not that similar. That's about reclaiming one's life, this is about wondering what the hell is happening to it.

But yeah, it was a hard sell, this one. Felt sorry for the gf. Didn't really want to watch it and aforementioned assclowns made it more difficult. Had to restrain myself from kicking the back of their chairs. Fucking obnoxious wankers, talking on their fucking phones during a film. Maybe in Poland, sunshine, but not on my turf.

The assclowns chose to watch this instead of Twilight? I'm amazed
From what I've seen this looks like a Jewish American Beauty. American Jewty. I don't know, it's just lacking something to really get my interest. Everything looks so very grey.

I really didn't enjoy Burn After Reading at all when Brad Pitt wasn't on screen. I went away very disappointed.

Saw this tonight. Interesting. Would have been more interesting if I wasn't surrounded by assclowns in the cinema.

Like a lot of Coen films, I liked it but couldn't quite put my finger on why. Performances were great, story built and built, moments of comedy were subtle but on the money. Won't pretend to understand it but I did enjoy it. Sometimes it pays to see a film you don't fully appreciate on the first watch.

I shall read up on it and maybe catch it again on DVD. Review is spot on, by the way.

Luke...you confuse me. You love Napoleon Dynamite but don't get what people see in The Big Lebowski? I simply can't wrap my head around that.

However, I'm totally with you guys on Burn After Reading. I loved it, and was one of the few people in the cinema who was laughing pretty much from the beginning. Nearly everything out of Malkovich's mouth had me rolling, especially his whole "THIS...is a CRUCIFICTION!" outburst with the outstretched arms. And the scene with Pitt destroyed me. I couldn't stop laughing for about five minutes. Chad is by far one one Pitt's best performances. I could watch him jamming out while running on the treadmill for hours, and it would never stop being funny. Love that movie.

Was having this conversation elsewhere...I still don't get what people see in The Big Lebowski.

Loved Burn After Reading, though - very dark and very, very funny. That scene Ali is talking about is great because the film sets you up to laugh uncontrollably, even though it's actually very sad. Pitt is ace in it, as is Clooney. In fact, everyone is, there's not a bad link at all.

Burn After Reading was great too. Still has one of the best 'holy shit' moments I've ever seen - the Brad Pitt cupboard scene. My reaction was to burst out laughing.

Think the next Coen project is a remake of True Grit with the Dude playing John Wayne. (*rubs hands*)

I'm with Chris here, the trailer is one of the best I've seen for a while - love the pacing and the banging throughout.
Wasn't hugely keen on Burn After Reading but it was still miles ahead of most other releases.
The Coens are absolutely excellent.

I'm going to see it tonight. Excited!

It was excellent. The Coens on top form, and as always Roger Deakins' cinematography is lush.

Funny (so funny), dark, intelligent... 5 stars.

Edited at 09:19 on 22/11/09

Heh...I really need to revisit Man Who Wasn't There. I remember really liking it, but it's been a while since the last time I watched it.

Also, in regards to A Serious Man, this has the single best trailer I've seen all year. Seriously, I've watched that thing at least a dozen times, simply because it is put together so brilliantly. Really excited for this movie.

I love the Coens but this is a real hard sell to get the wife interested. We're going to see The Informant tomorrow but only because Matt Damon is in it. Actual quote: "At least it has one famous person in it."

Looks similar to The Man Who Wasn't There, another impenetrable Coen 'comedy'. Sure I'll like it, just ned to muster up the strength first.

I am so looking forward to seeing this. I really hope that it shows up in my neck of the woods, but Green Bay is really weird about what movies we get around here. Which sucks if you're a movie nerd. Which I am.

Nice work on the review, Anna.

Edited at 23:48 on 21/11/09