The Coen brothers strike again with their latest comedy-mystery 'Hail, Caesar!' In true Coen brothers fashion, the film, which was written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan, is a Hollywood film about Hollywood itself, specifically during its Golden Age in the 1950s. In an era of big movie stars contracted by even bigger movie studios and lavish productions with an affinity for the spectacle, the film itself is a spectacular sight to behold, but at what cost did this come to the substance of the film?
"Hail, Caesar!" doesn't fall short when it comes to the extravagant – with intricately detailed sets and costuming, a grandiose score reminiscent of the Coen Brothers' beloved Fargo (not uncoincidentally, as Carter Burwell scored both films), an elaborate synchronized swim scene, and a nearly six-minute-long song and tap dance scene (featuring the surprisingly adept Channing Tatum, who learned how to tap dance specifically for this scene), the film successfully evoked a sense of this Classical Hollywood era, albeit with its own postmodern flair.
Where the film succeeded in style, however, it failed to follow through in substance. A Hollywood whodunit, the plot follows the events of Hollywood fixer-upper Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) as he deals with the latest celebrity scandal on his hands – the kidnapping of the star of his latest Hollywood production, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). The mystery takes place amidst a myriad of other problems Mannix must confront, including the miscasting of popular Western actor Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich) in a posh Classical Hollywood drama, a pair of meddling twin journalists dying to get the latest celebrity scoop, delightfully portrayed by Tilda Swinton, and a troublesome star (played by Scarlett Johansson) whose public image as America's Sweetheart is being threatened by the latest publicity scandal. Throw in a subplot involving a group of melodramatic Marxist writers and a conspiracy with one of the studio's stars, and you've got yourself a mess of a plot.
In many ways the film felt like a first draft – with so much going on and not much left resolved, the film definitely could have used a little finetuning. What's more, the ridiculousness of the plot fueled the comedic elements of the film more than the screenplay itself, as many of the jokes fell flat or ran longer than the average attention span could bear.
Where the jokes ran too long, other aspects of the film were not elaborated upon enough, especially those aspects that gave the film a semblance of authenticity. The budding relationship set up by Mannix and the movie studio between the dimwitted but loveable Hobie Doyle and Carlotta Valdez (Veronica Osorio), for example, had the potential to become an endearing story of genuine affection amidst the vapidity that is Hollywood. Their relationship, however, was neither developed nor concluded.
Nevertheless, the film is indeed a spectacular treat for the eyes, and with an all-star cast whose performances were just as spectacular, including the aforementioned along with Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, and Frances McDormand, there is sure to be something for everyone.
Watch the trailer for "Hail, Caesar!" below.
The film opens nationwide February 5, 2016.
Reach Staff Reporter Jenny Truong here.
Annenberg Media