‘Indulgence’ is a word often thrown around when discussing the Academy Award-winning Coen Brothers’ filmography. The brothers consistently release some of the most technically proficient and controlled films in Hollywood — films that bend the rules of genre and polarize audiences. Love them or hate them, the Coen brothers have a unique sense of style and humor that is once again on display in “Hail, Caesar!”
The Coens’ love of Old Hollywood has finally crystallized. Every facet of “Caesar!” is engineered around the process of 50’s film production — and every blunder alongside it. Josh Brolin is no doubt the lead as Eddie Mannix, a “fixer” working to assist the production of “Hail Caesar,” which faces a steep uphill climb when its star, Baird Whitlock — George Clooney — is kidnapped.
From there, the film’s plot derails in usual Coen fashion. While typical Hollywood productions follow formulaic, predictable plotlines, Coen films have a tendency to dissolve narrative into sometimes incoherent and seemingly random moments. Their films unfold, and multiple views are often required before any true meaning can be gathered. That said, “Caesar!” is consistently entertaining and maintains a subtle humor most comedies could only dream of.
Make no mistake, there are few jokes in the film. Humor is evoked on a much more microscopic level: the pronunciation of a word, the flash of a camera, the irony of a situation. But when a scene culminates and the humor hits, it hits hard. An early scene featuring Alden Ehrenreich’s Hobie Doyle, a newbie film star and good-ol’ cowboy gentleman, had my showing in stitches.
The film is also a visual delight. A generous amount of screen time is dedicated to tightly-choreographed musical numbers that, while arguably indulgent, add a sense of personality and flair the Coens are known for. Both Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum demonstrate their choreography chops in their respective musical scenes, and Tatum’s rather complex tap dancing show is a side of the actor yet unseen.
While it’s not as intricate or philosophical as much of their work, “Caesar!” may be their lightest, funniest film to date. It’s an homage to old Hollywood filled with good performances and witty dialogue that knows not to take itself too seriously.
Not everyone will enjoy “Caesar!” Like the rest of Coens’ work, the film will polarize those expecting it to interpret itself for them. But for fans of the Coens, “Caesar!” is sure to entertain.
