O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

'3BlackChicks Review...'

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (2000) Rated PG-13; running time 103 minutes Genre: Adventure Comedy Official site: http://studio.go.com/movies/obrother/index.html IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0190590 Written by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (based on Homer's "The Odyssey") Directed by: Joel Coen Cast: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Charles Durning, John Goodman, Michael Badalucco, Chris Thomas King, Holly Hunter, Stephen Root, Wayne Duvall, Ed Gale, Ray McKinnon, Quinn Gasaway, Lee Weaver, Mia Tate, Christy Taylor, Musetta Vander

Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsobrother.html

Do me a favor: the next person that tells you George Clooney is a talentless, pretty-boy hack, pop 'em in the mouth. Better yet, take them to see O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?. If they ain't convinced by his magic therein, there just ain't no convincing 'em.

The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**): O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? is a down-home, no-place-like-home, road story, in the vein of one of the first, and best, of them: Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey".

In depression-era Mississippi, three rather...confused...convicts - Everett Ulysses McGill (George Clooney), Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro), and Delmar O'Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson) - bust out of the chain gang they're on in search of the $1.2mil treasure Everett told them he stole. Everett, a self-made leader who is as concerned with his hair and the pomade that keeps it slicked as he is with the treasure they're after, doesn't inspire much confidence in the hotheaded Pete or the somewhat dimwitted Del; but since he's the best they've got, they reluctantly follow his lead. The threesome are cautioned by an old soothsayer (Lee Weaver) that their way would be fraught with dangers to overcome, but our three heroes are determined to see their odyssey through.

Along their journey, they come across some situations epic and not-so-epic, involving Pete's backcountry cousin Wash (Frank Callison) and son Bog (Quinn Gasaway); Tommy Johnson (Chris Thomas King), a guitarist at a crossroads in his life; a radio announcer (Stephen Root) whose "can" allows a surprising outlet for the trio plus one; Homer Stokes (Wayne Duvall), a reform candidate for Governor who really means it when he says he represents the Little Man (Ed Gale); a trio of sweet siren temptresses (Mia Tate, Christy Taylor, Musetta Vander); and many more creatures, great and small. The threesome are searching for many things - including redemption and divine intervention - but, like the Ulysses of centuries ago, what they want most is to find their way Home.

The Upshot: Ok, ok, maybe a quick poppin's too drastic [DISCLAIMER: anyone who'd give someone else a pop in the mouth on my say-so, needs their head examined. Go, quickly, and get thyself Healed, for I have no such Power over thee]. After all, Clooney can't be held harmless for some of the bad press he's gotten; for too long, he seems to have gotten by with his sloe grin, puppydog eyes, and Classic Actor looks. But that's neither here nor there; in the "Odyssey"-inspired O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, Clooney more than holds his own against the likes of Actors' Actors John Turturro, Charles Durning, and Holly Hunter.

In fact, it's Hunter (Penny) that set in mind the movie that "O Brother" reminded me most of: the Coens' equally quirky (though somewhat better) RAISING ARIZONA, in which she costarred with another "Brother", John Goodman. "O Brother" survives the comparison; though it's not quite as "groundbreaking" as "Arizona" was, for my money, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? is just as much fun.

The treats in "O Brother" came from all sides: for one, while each actor was given a chance to shine - Clooney and the hilariously deadpan Tim Blake Nelson, especially - the ensemble effort that the Coen Boys seem to inspire, was evident. Within this large cast, from John Goodman's broad portrayal of conman Big Dan Teague, to Michael Badalucco as George Nelson, the gangsta who wouldn't accept the name society would deem him fit to hold, to the multiple "Odyssey"-esque characters in between, the players built each segment of "O Brother" onto the next, layering its rich tones along the way. Second, behind the scenes, the Brothers Coen worked their magic in a way I haven't seen from them since FARGO (I'd love to say more, but it'd involve too many spoilers). I wonder what they could possibly come up with next to top these two films.

If anyone involved with this dynamite production could be said to be flat, it would have to be Charles Durning; I've seen his Governor Pappy act one too many times in similar Good Ol' Boy roles, and it quickly wore a nerve for me. And besides, Paul Newman portrayed the Guv'ner >From Louisiana much more memorably in BLAZE a few years back.

It's quite amazing to find a movie that actually has me anxious to go back and read old grade school literature [where's my old copy of Homer, anyway?]. And, the bonus of watching Clooney move in way I've never seen him move before? Priceless.

The "Black Factor" [ObDisclaimer: We Are Not A Monolith]:

And speaking of "Magical Negroes"...

I'll be the first to admit that Lee Weaver, as the old blind soothsayer who first sets Everett, Pete, and Del off on their adventures, occupies that archetype; soothsaying, after all, *is* Magical, no two ways about it. I'm not sweatin' that role at all; it is as it was *supposed* to be, so I suggest that anyone who wants to get Up In Arms about it, should take a pill.

I *do*, however, have a bit of a bone to pick with Chris Thomas King's rather dull portrayal of Tommy Johnson, a role apparently inspired by the fabled story of blues guitarist Robert Johnson. But my quibble with King, I reckon, is one that he could never overcome - because for the life of me, I can't imagine anyone ever doing a better job at playing Robert Johnson than the incomparable Joe Seneca, as he did in CROSSROADS. Sorry Chris; you never had a chance.

Bammer's Bottom Line The real test of a greenlighter, for me, is whether I'd want to see the movie again, if only eventually. "O Brother" passed that test and then some - because I was ready to re-watch this flick immediately. If only to hear the "Soggy Bottom Boys" work it again.

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (rating: greenlight): Just found my old Ancient Lit textbook. Hmmm. Uh...anybody got any cliff notes I can borrow?

Rose "Bams" Cooper
Webchick and Editor,
3BlackChicks Review
Movie Reviews With Flava!
Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001
EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com
http://www.3blackchicks.com/