Review of The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) by Tibor B — 21 Feb 2011
I have a real soft spot for Hudsucker, despite it being the Coens' most expensive film at the time (being a co-production with uber-Hollywood bigwig Joel Silver) and both a commercial and critical flop.
The accusations of vacuous style and caricatured performances are valid, but so much of the film is so entertaining that enough about the film works well in my opinion. It's a curious mish-mash of 30s screwball romance, Capra-esque little man subversion, 50s capitalist boom celebration all in a self-consciously artificial Gotham city-like cartoon environment.
Perhaps it is easier to enjoy the film if you have a vague knowledge of the genres it is playing around with, having said that the humour is broad and accessible, the editing sharp, performances exaggerated but fun and as usual with the Coens extremely well written.
Notable too is Burwell's lush, playful music. It is mostly style and artifice, and self-consciously so, but if you take that as a given, it is still a very funny fall from the 44th floor (not including the mezzanine).
This review of The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) was written by Tibor B on 21 Feb 2011.
The Hudsucker Proxy has generally received positive reviews.
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