Have
you ever wanted to watch George Clooney trek through the 1930s south on a
treasure hunt with two other convicts? If so, this is a film for you. Ulysses
Everett McGill (George Clooney) the intellectual and well-spoken convict is
joined by two less educated convicts Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro) and Delmar
O’Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson). These three convicts set out to find a 1.2
million dollar treasure but are mysteriously warned by a blind prophet that “the
treasure you seek shall not be the treasure you find.” In the opening credits
of the film, it claims that the story is based on “The Odyssey” by Homer. For
those who don’t remember reading this epic poem in high school, it is the
journey of a Greek ruler and soldier Odysseus, whose Latin name is Ulysses
(Coincidence? I think not) trying to make his way back home. Just as Odysseus
encountered oracles, sirens, and a Cyclops, the three convicts in O Brother, Where Art Thou? do as well,
only in a more modern way.
The movie is set during the Great Depression
in Mississippi, which is also where most of the filming took place. The
cinematography by Roger Deakins captured the 1930s feel through long shots of
fields, dirt roads, and lonesome buildings. This film is famous for using color
correction to give the film a sepia-toned look, adding to the old timey feeling
that the film was trying to send out. Costume design also played a huge role in
recreating the state of Mississippi during that time period. The film was
directed by Joel Coen and produced by his brother Ethan, who often work
together in films. Some of their work includes Fargo, The Big Lebowski,
and Unbroken which just came out last
year.
While
“The Odyssey” is an epic, O Brother,
Where Art Thou? chose a more comedic route, lacing the adventure of those
three stooges will funny dialogue, fighting, and ridiculous action. But when I
say that there are three stooges, I should be more honest. It’s really two
stooges and Everett.
Everett, Pete, and Delran compliment and
contrast like fire and ice. It becomes clear fairly early on that Pete and
Delran are foils to Everett. Everett constantly makes fun of religion while the
other two run to get baptized in a lake. Everett’s educated way of speaking and
his obsession with his hair very clearly separate him from the country
bumpkins, and also adds some comedy. An example occurs when Everett is arguing with
a store owner who doesn’t carry the pomade he favors. After being told that the store only carries Fop, Everett responds: “Well, I
don't want Fop, goddamn it! I'm a Dapper Dan man!” Everett and Pete clash multiple times
throughout the film while Delran stands around as a bystander until the
conflict is settled. These conflicts and
the condescending manner in which Everett speaks to his “friends” calls their friendship into question. Are the three are really friends at all, or does Everett just
consider the convicts an end to a mean? Disappointingly, that is a question I
think the film doesn’t ever answer. Regardless of that, Clooney, Turtorro, and
Nelson all do a great job bringing those characters to life. Joining those actors
is Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and Charles Durning in supporting roles.
This
film also received a lot of praise for the soundtrack. The Coen brothers aimed
to make the soundtrack a part of their movie rather than simple background
noise and the music definitely leaves that impression. The CD of the soundtrack
was certified platinum eight times over as of October 2007, selling almost
eight million copies. The songs in the movie cover many genres such as
bluegrass, country, gospel and more that each do a fantastic job of placing the
audience in the 1930s. The soundtrack received three Grammies: Album of the
Year (2002), Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, and Best Male Country
Vocal Performance. Watching the film, the music really adds another element
that other films lack. Rather than using music as a noise to fill empty space, O Brother, Where Art Thou? used music to
enhance the viewing experience and it truly works.
Watching
Everett, Delran, and Pete steal cars, get baptized, and sing their way through
Mississippi was a great and enjoyable experience. The characters and addition
of music made this feel almost like more of a musical rather than a movie. But
don’t let that notion deter you, this revision of an old epic poem mixed with
comedy and charisma is great for anyone looking for a fun movie.
