Review of O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) by Phillip M — 01 Jan 2012

I may be in the minority, but I didn't find this film that great at all. If I were to list pros and cons about O Brother, it would definitely have more pros than cons, but there's something about the aimless story that I can't quite enjoy.

In O Brother, the one thing I admired most was it's aesthetics. Visually, the film is a winner. Scenes that involve the KKK, a tidal wave, and especially three sirens are all constructed absolutely beautifully. The music selection fit the film perfectly and really bolstered what was happening on screen. However, when the cast "sings" it's so terribly unrealistic, it's almost embarrassing. Maybe the was the intent, but either way, I didn't like that it was painfully fake.

But what the actors lacked in competent singing, they surely made up for in acting. Clooney gets a lot of praise for his role, but I honestly thought he did all right. Tuturro and Nelson did a better job at sticking with their accents and remaining in character.

The quirky nature of a Coen's film is there still. Their witty dialogue, unique story, and originality is all present in O Brother, but it's the incoherency in the film that doesn't do it for me.

I'm sure if I watch it more I may be able to appreciate it. It's a great looking film, with enjoyable segments, it's often funny, but nothing ever gets done. It may be because George Clooney is in it haha. I'm not too partial to his acting, but I try to remain objective. 6.5/10.