Review of Hail, Caesar! (2016) by The3Academysins — 18 Nov 2019

I went into Hail, Caesar! expecting that the numerous reviews and word-of-mouth grumblings I have had about the movie would be true: "It's the worst Coen Brothers movie" or "its actually bad" or "its a waste of time." I was pleasantly surprised when the movie turned out to be actually entertaining and meticulously crafted.

To its core, Hail, Caesar! is an anti-action movie. There is a lot of build up and tension that leads to ultimately no payoff. You're just along for the ride, and I ended up really enjoying the lack of a climax. There are a plethora of characters and interweaving plot threads, and the ensemble cast has no main character. The closest we come to a protagonist is Josh Brolin's character, who tries to navigate the quagmire that is the internal workings of a Golden Age Hollywood film studio and keep everything afloat. Every performance is really solid, and everyone gets their moment in the limelight.

Hail, Caesar is a strange, but authentic take on the movie business. Despite the occasional seediness and artistic conflicts, everyone loves the movies. In a way, Hail, Caesar is a very meta take on the film industry.