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If there was a word to describe the theatre of the absurd as a film genre, then O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a film that wears that genre with confidence. The film is peculiar and unique; but at the same time a film that I enjoyed to a great degree.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is basically a successful attempt by the Coen Brothers to resettle the story of Homer's epic poem 'The Odyssey' into 1930s American society. The film begins with Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney), Pete Hogwallop (Turturro), and Delmar O'Donnel (Nelson) escaping from a chain gang that is situated out in the middle of nowhere. McGill told his fellow escapees that he has hidden a large stash of money from one of his previous criminal exploits. But they have limited time to get to it because its resting place is in a valley which will be flooded fairly soon to make a new dam.
Many things happen over the course of the movie; the three making daring escapes, meeting interesting people and even striking fame as a highly popular band under the name of The Soggy Bottom Boys. What makes O Brother, Where Art Thou? so enjoyable is that it's never boring in amongst the significant events that keep occurring. On top of this the laughs are top notch. The dialogue is very funny at times and made better with the dynamic cast.
George Clooney was a delight as always. He's not charming or sophisticated like he usually is, but instead a man with a Southern accent who is dirty and on the run. Clooney pulls this off very well. Within the first 5 minutes I had already forgotten it was Clooney in the role. If an actor can trigger this feeling then you know that they did their job correctly. Jon Turtorro and Tim Blake Nelson are clumsy and amusing companions for Clooney throughout the course of the unusual adventure that presents itself during the film.
The supporting cast all establish their accents distinctively and give it everything they have. The Coen Brothers are always very skilled in establishing a very unique atmosphere. In this case the classy visuals mixed with a wonderful screenplay are what create such a great atmosphere. The locations and sets in particular felt very authentic.
On top of this the film is extremely weird at times; boasting such extraordinary things like singing female water nymphs, as well as a singing choir of Klu Klux Klan members. All this out-of-the-ordinary material is only something you'll find in a film by Joel and Ethan Coen. On top of this you have a score that is hard to beat. It's full of energy and is very catchy at times.
My attention was never thrown in amidst the witty dialogue, great visuals and groovy soundtrack. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a prize-winning mix of comedy, musical, drama and adventure that you won't want to miss. I can't stress this enough; I enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would. This is proof that with the right story and the right script, a film can be brilliant and funny without being the next The Godfather. Underneath the surface the film is absurd, weird, moody and atmospheric but distinctive, one-of-a-kind and intrinsically great entertainment!
9/10
