Iffy for 16+
Brilliant but bleak comedy for mature Coen brothers fans.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the Coen brothers' A Serious Man features extensive useof marijuana (in some cases by pre-teen boys) and lots of profanity (from "f--k" and "s--t" on down the line). There's some sexual material as well (a distant view of a topless sunbather, a dream-sequence sex scene), and some brief but bloody moments of violence. The movie also offers viewers complex questions to ponder on the subjects of faith and religion.
- Families can talk about the film's central question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Do our actions have consequences?
- The film also offers great opportunities for discussion of the natureof religious belief. What questions does the movie raise about faith? Does it provide any answers?
- What does this movie have in common thematically with the Coen brothers' other movies? What do their films say about the importance of morality and ethics in a world that seems to respect neither?
The good stuff
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Messages: Amid the movie's acrid humor and mature subject matter is a good deal of food for thought -- if not a constructively positive take-away. The lead character struggles to do the right thing, and his actions have definitive consequences.
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Role models: The characters here are all fairly flawed -- that makes them realistic, but it doesn't necessarily make them the best role models. The lead character makes an important moral decision and is found wanting; at other times, though, he demonstrates real decency and endeavors to do the right thing.
What to watch for
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Violence: Some violence, including a stabbing (with blood) in the prologue. There's also a shooting and a beating; these take place in dream sequences but are depicted with vigor and blood. The corpse of a hunted deer is also seen.
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Sex: A topless sunbather is seen from a distance; a dream sequence includes a sex scene in which a woman is wearing a bra and a man's bare chest is shown. Discussions of sex and infidelity.
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Language: Constant, including "f--k" and its derivatives, "s--t," "a--hole," "pissed," "crap," "oh my God," and "Jesus." "Jew" is used briefly, presumably derogatorily.
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink wine and hard liquor and smoke pipes and cigarettes. Marijuana is also smoked -- in some cases by 12-year-old boys -- and discussed extensively.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
Ever wondered "Why Me Lord?" by Matthewsdad
The Coen Brothers this time are very creative useing the Jewish household (lifestyle) as a tool to pursue the existential question -" why do people want answers from god when bad things happen to them". The opening scene (prologue) sets up the premise of the movie = sometimes the devil or evilness simply "visits" your household. Why do bad things happen to good people? The main character seems to live a happy 60's era suburban life but suddenly comes home to see his world collapseing around him. As a result he does a continuous "why me" dance thru out the movie, as he goes from rabbi to rabbi seeking answers. In funny scenes the rabbis provide useless help. The final scene further drives home the point of the movie; when a tornado bears down on his town. What is more uncontollable, unfair and unpredictable than a tornado? Sometimes life is like that. It tears your world apart.
5
It's funny, because it isn't happening to me... by Walrus_and_Pinnacle
I do not laugh often. I was explaining this to my companion the night before we went to see A Serious Man. She was, fairly, a bit taken aback to see me roar through this movie.
It is hilarious - particularly to those of us who do not find things to be that funny these days.
I It is the Book of Job portrayed on screen and if you have an appreciation for schadenfreude, you will love this movie.
4
This ride called life by butteredkorn
has many turns,alot of valley's and mountains and where you end up is a mystery. That's what this movie's about,a fable of how when things can go wrong they will and just when you think it can't get any worse it does. Even at the end of the movie when you think things are about to turn around for the main character the Cohen brothers remind you of the uncertainty of life. A very funny dark comedy filled with irony, pathos and compassion.
"if you can keep your head while others around you lose theirs" sums up this movie,you gotta have faith...or do you?
4
Painfully funny by leahbrooks
The characters in this movie are painfully familiar... like many relatives. This made it both hard to watch and funny. Not the typical Coen Bros. movie.
2
Five Word Review by vkaufman
should have been much better
4
definite see if you're jewish and over 30 by dtraitel
If you're jewish and over 30, this will bring you back to memories of your parents' or grand-parents' home. The atmosphere is pitch-perfect for that era. Not sure someone who isn't jewish and didn't spend a lot of time around a jewish family is going to appreciate much of the movie. The amount of detail going in to re-creating a jewish home of that era is truly unbelievable. As far as the story goes, it is an interesting exploration of clarity vs. ambiguity, right vs. wrong, fate vs. randomness. The little vignette in the beginning, which seems not to make sense, is probably just an extension of these themes, plus a reference to the jewish (and Italian) traditions that women have incredible intuition and they viewpoints are to be highly regarded. This goes all the way back to biblical stories.
5
There are 2 VERY DIFFERENT versions of this movies in theaters. One is out of sequence like Pulp Fiction. by CT independent
A very intense movie, Very well done, You feel as you're back in 1967.
I saw this movie twice at 2 different theaters. The 1st time I saw this movie It seemed like a Pulp Fiction due to fact that aside from the first 3 scenes of the film.. the rest of the scenes were out of order and like Pulp Fiction you were forced to piece it together. I wanted to see it again to make sure I had the story right and I went to a different theater to see it and at this theater the movie scenes were in proper order. This version of the movie was much easier to follow but the "out of sequence" version was much more intense of a movie. The main character is already manic and it makes for a way deeper story.
The Waterbury CT theater is the one that shows the different (much better) version.
5
Serious but entertaining by Sarah E
This is a moderately thought provoking film based on the culture that the Coen brothers grew up in and apparently know well, although any other culture could have been subjected to the same treatment. It provides an incisive, intense, and apt caricature of that culture, and some surrounding ethnicities. It is designed to make one think hard about all you have ever been taught or all you ever considered valid about the meaning of ife. The protagonist is a serious man who struggles to comprehend his life's tragedies and turns of fate as these call into question many religious, moral and philosophical truisms that the Coen brothers subject to paradoy. It is highly amusing and intriguing without being a comedy while its intellectual themes are boldly espoused through humor as well as tragedy. I especially loved the elderly rabbi who quoted Jefferson Airplane. It left me thinking that the Coen brothers really got it right: "Is there a meaning to life?"
4
A Serious Man by spearmanlewie
I am still trying to get my mind wrapped around this one; this one's accessibility makes No Country for Old Men come across as a Michael Bay film. That being said, please do not think I'm being critical. If one is going in expecting the standard flamboyant comedy that easy to "get" that Cohen brothers can sometimes dole out, you are going to experience something completely different. A lof the laughs will be stuck in one's throat, at least in my opinion. This comedy is very bleak, and they are able to get away with this with one heck of an ensemble cast. The Sy Ableman character, Arlen Finkle, and all three of the rabbi's made this film, even though the leads were all very solid. At least watch this one when it comes out of Dvd.
5
God is in the Details by rock45
This is one of the funniest depressing films you will ever see. Every part is brilliantly cast and the suburban 60s the perfect setting to simultaneously fascinate and repulse. My "feel good movie" date hated it but I loved it. More will like it than not but be forewarned that it is a bit polarizing.