A Serious Man (2009)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Directors:

Ethan Coen
Joel Coen

Writers (WGA):

Joel Coen (written by) &
Ethan Coen (written by)

Release Date:

9 October 2009 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A black comedy set in 1967 and centered on Larry Gopnik, a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother won't move out of the house. |

Plot Keywords:

Black Comedy | Professor | Jewish | Female Frontal Nudity | Merkin Wig

Awards:

2 nominations

US Showtimes:

The Landmark

11:50am | 2:20pm | 4:55 | 7:25 | 9:55

(personalize)

Cast

Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Larry Gopnik
Richard Kind	...	Uncle Arthur
Fred Melamed	...	Sy Ableman
Sari Lennick	...	Judith Gopnik
Aaron Wolff	...	Danny Gopnik
Jessica McManus	...	Sarah Gopnik
Peter Breitmayer	...	Mr. Brandt
Brent Braunschweig	...	Mitch Brandt
David Kang	...	Clive Park
Benjy Portnoe	...	Danny's Reefer Buddy (as Bejamin Portnoe)
Jack Swiler	...	Boy on Bus
Andrew S. Lentz	...	Cursing Boy on Bus
Jon Kaminski Jr.	...	Mike Fagle
Ari Hoptman	...	Arlen Finkle
Alan Mandell	...	Rabbi Marshak

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality/nudity and brief violence.

Runtime:

105 min | Canada:105 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK | France

Language:

English | Yiddish | Hebrew

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45447) | Denmark:11 | UK:15 | Canada:G (Québec) | Australia:M | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Ireland:15A | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Bloomington, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Mike Zoss Productions

Trivia:

The names of the characters who ride the school bus with Danny Gopnick are the names of children that the Coen brothers grew up with.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Rabbi Nachtner is talking to Larry and telling him the story of the Goy's Teeth, he is drinking Lipton Green Tea. Lipton Green Tea was not available in 1967.

Quotes:

Rabbi Marshak: When the truth is found to be lies, and all the joy within you dies...

Movie Connections:

References Burn After Reading (2008)

I Didn't Do Anything!

Greetings again from the darkness. For me, any new Coen Brothers film is like the biggest Christmas present ... the fun is in the unwrapping. And WOW, does this one have many layers of wrapping paper! Seemingly based on the Book of Job, this is by far the most personal and intimate film in the Coen catalog. Probably has a good deal of autobiographical details from their childhood, though of course, there is much much more. First warning - there is massive Jewish stuff in this one. Not the overwhelming religious part and not the punchline part ... it is the real life details.

Can't give much away on this one but there are no shortage of fascinating scenes and images to dissect and discuss. Can our actions bring the wrath of God or as the quote suggests, should we just accept with simplicity the happenings in our life? Ethan and Joel do a superb job of casting fine actors that we recognize, yet lack stardom. There is no Javier Bardem here. Instead Michael Stuhlburg is spot on as the everyman trying to do the right things in life, yet carries a huge burden when things begin to go wrong ... and it just won't stop.

One of my favorite characters in the film is Sy Abelman, played with the warmest panache by Fred Melamed. The way he "comforts" Gropnik (Stuhlberg) is sincere, yet creepy and annoying. Richard Kind is quite different as the Uncle who is always in the bathroom and George Wyner is the absolute worst story telling Rabbi in history.

While the beginning/prologue is like a short film until itself, the dots are pretty easy to connect. And the best part is seeing the great Fyvush Finkel on screen again. He was a can't miss on the series Boston Public - and is even better here.

This one combines religion, family life, relationships, lust, teenage rebellion, grown-up responsibility and just about any other topic you'd like to throw in. In the hands of lesser filmmakers, this one would be a disaster. In the able hands of the Coen Brothers and cinematographer Roger Deakins, it is a near masterpiece.