“O Brother Where Art Thou” review by Nicholas Drake
“O Brother Where Art Thou” is a film, that if you have not yet seen it, you should do so. It takes little to know time to recognize the influence of Homer’s The Odyssey in the film, as it is based off of the epic. Set in rural Mississippi in the 1940’s, we join the story where Ulysses McGill (George Clooney), Pete (John Turturro), and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) are escaping prison in a search for a “hidden treasure”. Along their journey, the three cross paths with bank robbers, con artists, a mass baptism, and they almost see their demise.
The music used in the film, contributes tremendously to its tone. The use of oldies and bluegrass music makes for a better viewing experience because of the visuals used in the film. Farmlands, cotton fields, dirt roads, and Dapper Dan’s hair pomade along with the music used in the film help create the experience of what life was like in rural Mississippi during the 1940’s. Ulysses McGill, played by George Clooney, acts as an Odysseus like character. Though his performance is not knock-your-socks-off good, Clooney does do the role justice and carries the sarcastic comedy that occurs frequently in the film. Turturro and Nelson’s characters, Pete and Delmar serve as sidekicks to Clooney but contribute to the plot seamlessly. Other characters like Big Dan played by John Goodman and Babyface Nelson played by Michael Baddalucco serve as plot twisters in the film. While their roles do not contribute as significantly as that of Clooney’s, their roles do keep the audience on their toes and wondering what will come next. Musically, the film is five stars. The musical score carries the film and ultimately creates the tone for the film. The Musicality of the film is the biggest highlight. The targets of the satire used in the film cover several topics ranging from politics, to religion, to fate. Though set, in the 40’s, the film is relatable and a very good modern spin off of The Odyssey. There were some moments in the film that could’ve been more conclusive. The cinematography of the film was not astounding but did elevate the film in certain scenes. The use of lighting in scenes where the three main characters encounter the devil contribute to the scene tremendously. Though there were parts in the movie that were comical, I don’t think that the comedy in the film helped much. I couldn’t help but think that the parts I found humorous were not viewed that way to other watching the movie with me. All in all, the Coen Brothers collaborated to make a solid film. If I had to give it a score, I would say 7.5 out of 10. There were certain foreshadows that were too obvious and ruined the mystery of the film. Clooney’s performance was satisfactory, but not a favorite of mine. The plot can stand alone, but the addition of the oldies, bluegrass, and gospel musical score contributes to the film’s effectiveness. There is no perfect movie, but this is one that I would recommend to watch.