Review of The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) by Rachael S — 25 Jan 2010

This is good Coens, but not great Coens. The sets are big and magnificent and honor the 40's/50's setting, while adding humor to the story. Impressive photography too. But, the problem is it can't quite decide if it wants to be a dark satire or a more straight-laced comedy.

The existential touch at the end is classic Coens though. The wonderfully over-the-top performances of Tim Robbins, Paul Newman (hilarious), and Jennifer Jason Leigh (I'm not quite sure the accent works) add some nice spice and Burwell's comedic score has great spirit.

I like it, I enjoyed it, and there's a good deal to like here, but that tight-rope walk of tone hurts it.