A Serious Man, the new Coen brothers film, is a darkly funny, Kafkaesque tale of a Jewish man in Minnesota, whose marriage, job, and life are all simultaneously in jeopardy.
It’s a keenly observed, absurdist gem–though it’s so odd I have a feeling it’ll be a lot of people’s second or third favorite Coen brothers film rather than number one with a bullet.
My personal fave is Fargo for its droll hilarity and deft strokes of observation.
But let’s not forget that the Coens also gave us:
No Country For Old Men. Spare, dark, and enjoyably existential. One of the weirdest Best Picture winners in Oscar history–and that’s a good thing.
The Big Lebowski. A mistaken identity comedy with bowling and other weirdnesses.
Miller’s Crossing. A dense gangster film that I admired while not adoring it.
Blood Simple. Cold and surprising, and the film debut of Mrs. Joel Coen, Frances McDormand.
Raising Arizona. A wacko kidnapping comedy with really fun screwball performances.
And then there’s Burn After Reading, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and…oh, fuck, just look it up on imdb.
But first tell me your favorite Coen brothers movie and why. It’ll be darkly cathartic.