The Daily OrangeFamily Matters l 'A Serious Man' beautifully portrays the trials and triumphs of a Jewish-American family
By Sam Littman
Posted: 11/12/09, 2:10 AM EST Section: Splice
"A Serious Man"
Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed
Grade: A
The Coen brothers' newest production is their most personal work to date, an expectedly brilliant study of guilt, redemption and responsibility rooted in Judaic culture. Set in the Coens' hometown of St. Louis Park, Minn., in the summer of 1967, "A Serious Man" is the filmmaking duos' ode to the often-overlooked trials and tribulations of remaining a dignified member of society, on religious and secular levels. Brimming with provocative philosophical insight and a litany of captivating performances, the Coens' hauntingly cynical passion project is utterly unforgettable.
College professor Larry Gopnik's (Michael Stuhlbarg) idyllic existence is coming to pieces. His wife, Judith (Sari Lennick), confesses to him her love for the much older Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed) and demands a divorce. His son, Danny (Aaron Wolff), and daughter, Sarah (Jessica McManus), are altogether untamable, ignorant of their father's afflictions, while his brother, Arthur (Richard Kind), suffers with a cyst on his neck and an even worse inferiority complex.
As Larry nervously awaits judgment from the tenure review committee at school, he debates whether or not to accept a bribe from a struggling student, an especially tempting offer considering his financial troubles. As he ponders these dilemmas, the scope of his turmoil overcomes him and forces him to reconsider his religious responsibilities, his faith and occasional failure to honor his creed.
Eschewing Hollywood code for their most stripped-down production in more than 20 years, the Coens opted to cast performers better known for their work in the theater, or lack of work whatsoever, rather than the box-office titans who typically headline their productions.
After working with seven Academy Award-winning actors and actresses in their four most recent films alone - George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones among them - the more anonymous cast of "A Serious Man," headlined by Tony Award nominee Michael Stuhlbarg ("The Pillowman"), is refreshingly uncorrupted. As the tormented Larry Gopnik, Stuhlbarg is astonishing, offering the most textured performance of the year thus far in his first major film role.
Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed
Grade: A
The Coen brothers' newest production is their most personal work to date, an expectedly brilliant study of guilt, redemption and responsibility rooted in Judaic culture. Set in the Coens' hometown of St. Louis Park, Minn., in the summer of 1967, "A Serious Man" is the filmmaking duos' ode to the often-overlooked trials and tribulations of remaining a dignified member of society, on religious and secular levels. Brimming with provocative philosophical insight and a litany of captivating performances, the Coens' hauntingly cynical passion project is utterly unforgettable.
College professor Larry Gopnik's (Michael Stuhlbarg) idyllic existence is coming to pieces. His wife, Judith (Sari Lennick), confesses to him her love for the much older Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed) and demands a divorce. His son, Danny (Aaron Wolff), and daughter, Sarah (Jessica McManus), are altogether untamable, ignorant of their father's afflictions, while his brother, Arthur (Richard Kind), suffers with a cyst on his neck and an even worse inferiority complex.
As Larry nervously awaits judgment from the tenure review committee at school, he debates whether or not to accept a bribe from a struggling student, an especially tempting offer considering his financial troubles. As he ponders these dilemmas, the scope of his turmoil overcomes him and forces him to reconsider his religious responsibilities, his faith and occasional failure to honor his creed.
Eschewing Hollywood code for their most stripped-down production in more than 20 years, the Coens opted to cast performers better known for their work in the theater, or lack of work whatsoever, rather than the box-office titans who typically headline their productions.
After working with seven Academy Award-winning actors and actresses in their four most recent films alone - George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones among them - the more anonymous cast of "A Serious Man," headlined by Tony Award nominee Michael Stuhlbarg ("The Pillowman"), is refreshingly uncorrupted. As the tormented Larry Gopnik, Stuhlbarg is astonishing, offering the most textured performance of the year thus far in his first major film role.
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