A Serious Man

It's not often that one gets the opportunity to see the newest offering from genius duo the Coen brothers, a day after the premiere, at nine in the morning. It's also not often that I sleep in, or am late for anything, really. Both of these freak occurrences collided last Monday morning, when A Serious Man, the new Coen brothers flick, was screened during TIFF. My original plan was to wake up at six, get to the theater at seven, and wait in the rush line for two hours to ensure a spot in the theater. Instead, I ended up waking up at quarter to seven and running to the theater in the shoes I used to refer to as my "comfy heels", and making it to the theater around eight. Even though I was 30th in the rush line, the gods smiled upon my meager effort, and I was able to achieve my goal of the entire film festival: to see A Serious Man.
The film itself is, if nothing else, a return to form for the Coens. Taking place in late-sixties era Minnesota, the black comedy revolves around the steadily crumbling life of Larry Gopnik, as he seeks the wisdom and advice of three different Rabbis. The trailer, which I mentioned a few months ago, never alludes to the comedic aspect of the film, though it's evident even within the first few minutes. Every performance is incredibly strong, proving that the Coen's decision to use little-known Yiddish theater actors was for the better. As always, cinematographer and longtime Coen friend Roger Deakins makes full use of the intricate and authentic looking sets. A washed-out, antique colour scheme and sparse photography add to both the sixties setting and to the isolation and abandonment that Larry discovers within himself. The pacing is unconventional, using Larry's quest for an ancient, almost mythical Rabbi to divide the film, and as always, the Coens have their work neatly and cleverly bookended. While it's very possible that it will be completely ignored by the time awards season rolls around, A Serious Man is further proof that whatever it is the Coen brothers have, they've got it in fucking spades.