"Lights! Camera! Abduction!" Wait, what?
Capitol Pictures executive Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) leads a very busy life. He's trying to cover up scandalous story after another, he's trying to get the best actors for the right productions, and he's also trying to quit smoking and be a father to his two children. The studio's biggest production, a historical drama titled Hail, Caesar!, is moseying its way through production, until one day, the film's lead actor, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), is kidnapped.
The overall production is terrific. The production design, costume design and cinematography acts as a loving nod and parody to the post-war era of filmmaking. Various nods to classy film sequences bring to mind iconic actors such as John Wayne, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly and Dick Van Dyke. 13 time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins does a fabulous job with the camera shots and camera cuts. A regular for the Coen Brothers, he continues to be one of the industry’s best. Carter Burwell's music score appropriately gives a classic vibe.
The film also gets major bonus points for a couple of very moving faith-based scenes. In one scene, Mannix meets with religious leaders to discuss how Hail, Ceasar should include Jesus. The conversations bring up some very strong points of Biblical truth. And despite majority of it being played for laughs, the conversations never get to the point of offensive. Secondly, one of the ending scenes showcases some dialogue towards Jesus on the cross that is surprisingly moving (even if it is just lines recited).
Brolin and Clooney were fantastic in their roles and carried the film, as they, along with Alden Ehrenreich, were the only ones given a lot to work with. Brolin is particularly convincing as the studio executive, bringing the brains and salesman aspects. But the most moving part of Brolin's character is what's behind his job, as we get brief glimpses of his struggle with faith as well as trying to be a better husband and father. I wish we could have had a little bit more time of him with his family life.
Clooney, though he may seem somewhat old for the part he's playing (I'm in somewhat agreement with my fellow critic Jackson Murphy on that one), he does not shy away from playing this part to his best, either. His character is a clueless, bumbling idiot of sorts, and he does it well. Ehrenreich, the only lesser-known name on the main cast, is a terrific surprise as Hobie Doyle. He brings an authentic, old-fashioned tone to his John Wayne-esque character trying to hilariously fit in on other film sets.
Channing Tatum also does a nice job channeling Gene Kelly (even if he's noticeably auto-tuned in the musical number he's in), while Frances McDormand, Ralph Fiennes, and Tilda Swinton (as twin reporters) are also given a great moment or two. People going to see this movie will be deceived by the top-billing celebrities on the poster, as most of them aren't given more than one or two scenes. The idea behind Jonah Hill’s character was funny, but his role was too brief.
The Coens do a nice job balancing out repetitive gags with some genuinely funny slapstick and sarcastic humor, while mockingly pointing at studio's typical errors (bad casting, long names, worrying about offending people, etc.).
There are a few issues here and there. If there's one cast member that seems, well, miscast, its Scarlett Johannson. While no fault of her own (she does try her best in the two scenes she's in), her tone and personality just aren't a good fit for the character. Ironically, in this case, the Coens make the same laughable mistake that the studio in their film does with Ehrenreich's character. Like I pointed out before, considering the surprising shortness of time for many of its stars, the roles of Johansson, Hill, and Tatum will come across as disappointing for some.
There are a couple of scenes that go on a lot longer than they should. A couple of scenes with Baird and his kidnappers could have had a few minutes cut out without almost getting to the point of boring. The movie switches between several different situations pretty quickly, to the point where it almost (but not quite) doesn't establish a real central plot point or character (though it thankfully gets clearer later on that Mannix is the central character). Also, despite the interesting plot involving the kidnapping of a film studio’s biggest star and the perfect 1950’s Hollywood setting for this topic, the characters' objectives seemed to lose focus and urgency at several points.
Appearing on many critics' Top 10 anticipated lists for 2016, the cards were stacked for Hail, Caesar! to be a great movie. After all, it is a Coen Brothers comedy with an all-star cast. As for me, it was a movie that flew under my radar until just recently, Hail Caesar! wound up appealing to me due to its classy look. I was interested in the idea of the film trying to homage famous productions from the 40's and 50's. In an odd way, Hail, Caesar! reminded me of the Oscar-nominated Hugo, and at many times, its just about as good as that film.
There's a lot of whimsicality on display here. And the references to some of Turner Classic Movies' library is very entertaining. The cast, for the most part, is very game. And the Coens utilize a genuinely funny sense of humor without almost ever going in risque or awkward directions here. Granted, Hugo was more of a family film, and carried more childlike wonder and magic. But, in a movie to a degree about, well, movies, Hail Caesar! does its' job terrifically.
I am excited to say that this is the first time I've had a co-writer on a review on the blog (thanks to Michael Massie for taking the time to contribute his thoughts to this :) ). As a fan of the Coen Brothers' other work, ultimately, he really enjoyed it, but felt it did not live up to the reputation of their prior films such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? and No Country for Old Men. He also thought that despite some hilarious moments, and that the subtlety of many of the jokes were very enjoyable, several jokes fell flat.
Now, I understand why distributor Universal decided (last-minute apparently) to not to have this compete in awards season this year. The overall film isn't wholly consistent, nor is it very complex or deep enough story-wise to be considered for Best Picture. In addition to that, while it may develop a cult following, the overall film may be quickly forgotten by the mass population and it will be a rarity to hear anyone quoting lines from this movie in the near future.
But, it makes for a very entertaining and fun 106 minutes and provides many laughs. And, it offers a few strong (or at least respectful) statements on faith you're not likely to find in hardly any other Hollywood production.
My Score: 7.7/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: For a PG-13 movie today, not very much. "A--", "h---" and "d---" are interjected four times each. Someone blurts out "son of a b----" just before the camera cuts. At the beginning, someone interjects, "J---- C---- on a scooter!". "Good l--d" and "G--forsaken".
Adult Content: A lively dance number, at times, may come across to some (especially towards the end) as a wink to homosexuality (I should point out, however, that back in the 1950's, males tended to act somewhat flamboyant in film, and the gay movement was virtually nonexistent). Besides that, someone briefly references sodomy, and a couple of comments are heard about women actresses getting pregnant out of wedlock. A few outfits are low-cut/clad.
Violence: Hardly any. A movie filmed depicts slaves being whipped and beaten (but it is obviously fake). Another movie depicts someone shooting a bad guy (in old-fashioned Western style). A couple of actors are slapped in the face. Jesus' crucifixion is depicted (we only see his feet, however).
Drugs/Alcohol: Almost everyone is shown with a lit cigarette in their mouth (Eddie goes to confessional about his habits). A couple of alcoholic drinks are seen, and Baird may be acting a little tipsy a couple of times. An unknown substance is put in a drink Baird sips, and it causes him to eventually pass out.
Other: Lying and framing others are seen as normal in Hollywood. Someone is given a false identity to avoid arrest by police.
