Hail Caesar Review- The Coens' Funniest Movie in Years

I like to talk to people I meet in daily life about upcoming movies. It gives me an idea of how much people know about coming attractions, that is, people that don’t spend most of their day surfing movie forums and writing about movies. So what do people have to say about Hail, Caesar! you ask? Well, even those that have seen the trailer can’t really tell you what it’s about. Maybe those that have seen all the trailers can tell you the general gist. A movie star is kidnapped days before the completion of a historical Roman epic his studio is shooting halting production. But most people would be hard pressed to tell you where a lot of the amazing cast fits in to all this. Besides, when it comes to Coen films, the plot is rarely what the film is about. There’s often a higher story being told. With that said, what was Hail, Caesar! about?

No idea. But it pleases me to say that I’m really excited to find out upon repeat viewings. As the new movie in a long and impressive filmography from the Coens, there were certain things I was expecting knowing that this was going to be a comedic entry. And I’m happy to say all those expectations were met. The dry humor, the hilarious characters, the perfect reaction shots, the satire. It’s all there and it’s one of their most enjoyable films to date. Even if there turns out to be no higher purpose to Hail, Caesar! I will still be happy that it exists and enjoy rewatching it. It’s a very enjoyable movie and I would recommend it to just about anyone.

Hail, Caesar! spends most of its run time with Josh Brolin’s character, Eddie Mannix, the head of Capital Studios in LA. He is a moral and religious man but he doesn’t let that get in the way of being great at his job. In the span of a couple very eventful days, Mannix must find his kidnapped star, make a major life choice about a career change, and throw off the press and anyone else involved in the kidnap caper. Brolin is surrounded by a stunning cast and if I had a single complaint about the movie it might be that some of them had too little screen time. Scarlett Johansson, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Tilda Swinton, and more recognizable “that guy” actors and actresses than you could shake a stick at. Every character was funny and every scene fun to watch. The sum of its parts may not be as complete or timeless as former Coen classics like The Big Lebwoski or my personal favorite, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, but Hail, Caesar! is sure to please more people than their more divisive comedies such as Burn After Reading or A Serious Man.

While the film toys with expectations and caricatures of life in Hollywood in the 1950’s, it is also constantly winking at the audience with feigned importance in the seemingly frivolous themes. By the end of the movie you either think that the film industry is the most important industry on the planet, or the most self-important. The writing is clever and full of nudges in a way the Coens have perfected over the years, and the sheer amount of fun it looks like the cast is having making the movie is worth the price of admission alone. Hail, Caesar! just might be one of those movies that can make anyone laugh and all for different reasons.