Comments on: Seriously, Indeed

By: alex

alex — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:24:02 +0000

interested in hearing your mathematical analysis beyond the obvious homage to talmudic narrative structure.

i thought this was a fabulous movie, but i think it's a stretch that it would win best picture. too ethnic and discomforting. a lot of people seem to be alienated by the inside jokes / yiddish humor. in short, not enough mass appeal. which is what makes it so great - it really feels designed for a niche audience...

i think it was a fabulous movie and it's definitely one of my favorite coen brothers for sure, but more because it rang so true to both my life experience and felt like the great adaptation of a philip roth novel we have not yet seen.

By: rodrigoperez

rodrigoperez — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:32:53 +0000

@mike. Maybe, but the stunted, he-man, platitudes and cliches of the expository trailer dialogue don't instill a lot of confidence.

By: Col. Mike

Col. Mike — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:31:44 +0000

This is a great film. The ending has troubled me for days.

Kevin: I'd love to read your mathematical analysis of the movie! I don't think I'll understand it, but it can't be more complicated than the Mentaculus, can it?

Also: We don't know that Avatar is bunk just yet. I know you saw Precious and were underwhelmed, fair enough, but you haven't seen Avatar yet, have you? Sure, it looks like bunk, but maybe, maybe it'll be OK.

By: kevinjagernauth

kevinjagernauth — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:31:33 +0000

I think this is the Coen's most despairing, bleak vision of humanity yet. That it remains totally absurd, dryly funny and absolutely fascinating is a tribute to their writing. I don't see this gaining traction (sadly) at Awards season. I'm sure it will be nominated, but it's far too dark to win anything.

Oh yeah, it's also mind-breakingly brilliant. I have a theory on the structure of the film (in short, it's mathematical - seriously) that I'll have to save for another day.

By: rodrigoperez

rodrigoperez — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:35:51 +0000

Much better than Burn After Reading. A much darker film. It has ambiguous qualities like Fink and Man Who Wasn't There, but not quite as dark. It's like taking Burn After Reading in comedic tone and infusing it with No Country For Old Men, sensibilities. It's excellent, but a head scratcher to many.

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:33:29 +0000

I've yet to see A Serious Man, and despite being a big Coen brothers fan, I'm not that miffed about it. I don't know why I'm not jazzed to see it other than feeling a little burned by Burn After Reading (it was ok). So is it better than Burn? I know their movies are hard to compare since they are all so wildly different, but what movie of theirs is it closest to? Man Who Wasn't There or Barton Fink, etc?