Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, Frances McDormand, Jonah Hill
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
In 1950's Hollywood, a producer keeps the studio's stars out of trouble.
Verdict
It's a fun romp but feels hollow. It's a collection of interesting stories that aren't explored enough to feel complete. It's well made and the cast and production values are great. That and the Hollywood satire make it worth watching. Obviously with the Coen's, the writing is sharp.
Watch it.
Review
A great cast and a fun movie, it's just missing something. We see very little of Clooney, and thus his story feels incomplete. The "bad guy" of the film is only seen a couple of times. While Mannix (Josh Brolin) is the main character, he never seems as interesting as the supporting characters.
The voice over during the beginning, while channeling '50s era Hollywood is annoying but subsides quickly. It does reappear, but it's not as intrusive.
 |
| Hail, Caesar! - Good, but doesn't quite come together. |
The imagery and framing is impressive. The studio and sets look authentic to the time period. Through Mannix, the Coen brothers pull back the curtain on this studio, showcasing all levels of dysfunctional actors. There's a lot going on and Mannix never stops moving, drifting in and out of sound stages, filmings, and meetings. It's a satire of Hollywood, and you know that even now studios are doing the same thing today to create stars and coverup mishaps. It's all about the money.
The movie has an underlying comedy to it. What you see on screen isn't the truth. These actors aren't as divine or as impressive as they seem. Mannix has to find a missing star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) while covering for a pregnant actress, placating a director, and trying to make Hobie (Alden Ehrenreich) a star. Ehrenreich is impressive in a cast that is absolutely stacked.
The conclusion is surprising because there was no way to predict it. A character of which we had seen very little orchestrated everything. Whitlock's arc is the most absurd, and I wish there was more to it. It's just as farcical as the rest of the movie, which is glib and fun.
No comments :
Post a Comment