Review of A Serious Man (2009) by Edward B — 20 Mar 2011
A Serious Man is as great a film as the Coen Brothers have made, and they've made Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and my favourite film of all time: No Country for Old Men. This is a comedy that is so dark and bleak, you would think it's a drama.
It centres around a Jewish professor named Larry Gopnick, who, to make a long story short, is having to deal with more stress than anyone deserves to go through. He isn't really complaining about it, but he seeks out advice on how to cope, and begs an answer from God as to why all this is happening to him. You can see the similarities between this tale and The Book of Job. There is an interesting prologue to the film that suggests his ancestors had a ghost curse their family line, but the film mainly asks the question as to whether there is any reason at all for bad things happening to good people. God might be testing his faith, but it's just as likely that Larry is a mere victim of bad luck.
No matter how you interpret it, A Serious Man is a wonderfully original film. Engaging and entertaining in ways that only the Coens know how to do, I loved everything about this movie. It is exactly the right brand of dark humour, and it raises existential and religious questions without providing any easy answers, giving you much to reflect on once the credits have roll!
This review of A Serious Man (2009) was written by Edward B on 20 Mar 2011.
A Serious Man has generally received positive reviews.
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