Watch out for Falling Rock! This was the punch line of a shaggy dog story my dad once told me. Whenever we were on a car trip my father would tell these long rambling stories with intricate plot points and meandering details. My brother and I would hang on every word in anticipation of a delightful payoff. But sometimes the punch line would be so enigmatic that we would groan in disbelief, “That’s it? We waited for this?” That’s how I felt at the conclusion of A Serious Man.
When the movie came to an end, I laughed at myself, like someone who was the victim of a practical joke. The film is a conundrum, a puzzle. I came away mystified, perplexed, yet strangely I was intrigued. I watched the movie with interest, studying the characters, looking for clues, filing away details, but all to no avail. If you asked me to explain this Coen brothers movie I’m not sure that I can. It is a film that I’ll be thinking about for a very long time and I throughly enjoyed the journey.
Like Job in the Bible, Michael Stulbarg plays Larry Gopnik, whose life is falling down all around him. He doesn’t understand why, he hasn’t done anything wrong, so he asks the question, “Why God? Why Me?” In his search for illumination he sees his doctor, consults rabbis, talks with neighbors, he even accepts words of wisdom from the man having an affair with his wife. He is looking for answers, and like us, he’ll find none. It is an exercise in futility. So, if you are going to watch this movie, all I can say is watch out for falling rock. Don’t view this movie looking for answers, watch it for the questions. The questions are much more interesting.
Rating: First Run A Coen Brothers puzzler
About Me
- Melanie Wilson
- My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson
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