A Serious Man- an Ignored Masterpiece?

[Jack Nevada]

So, I saw the "Revolutionary Road: Why Did this Movie go Unnoticed?" thread and it made me think of a movie that went unnoticed by most people, but I consider a fantastic piece of cinemaThe movie I'm talking about is A Serious Man (2009) directed by The Coen Brothers. It got good enough reviews (89% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a few Oscar-nominations, but most people haven't seen it, or even heard about itI think A Serious Man is a damn near perfect movie. It is very puzzling and extremely jewish which are probably the biggest reasons why nobody saw it. imo The Coens were on a top form making this movie, getting some dark enjoyment out of the misery of the main character.It's basically a 60's version of The Book of Job. Michael Stuhlbarg plays the main character Larry Gopnik, a college professor whose life is going to hell. His wife is leaving him, his kids either act shitty to him or ignore him, he's getting anonymous threats, bribes from a failing korean student and he may or may not have cancer. The movie ends on a total cliffhanger, with a massive hurricane approaching and Gopnik receiving a call from his doctor, asking him to meet immediately.Cut to black. Jefferson Airplane's Somebody to Love. I was totally baffled by the movie when I saw it for the first time, and I still dont quite get what its trying to say (life sucks and there's nothing you can do about it?) but after seeing the movie multiple times it keeps getting more and more fascinating.Have you seen A Serious Man? What do you think of it?

[4815162342]

You should remember that the sudden appearance of the tornado and Larry's doctor calling happens right after Larry decides to pass the student who wanted to bribe him for a good grade. It's essentially a sign from the heavens that Larry failed his "test."

[Jack Nevada]

You should remember that the sudden appearance of the tornado and Larry's doctor calling happens right after Larry decides to pass the student who wanted to bribe him for a good grade. It's essentially a sign from the heavens that Larry failed his "test."

Yes, I forgot to mention that. I didn't get that for the first time I saw it.

[Jake Gittes]

I saw it twice. The first time, I understood almost nothing. The second time, everything came together and I was absolutely floored. This is a brilliant film, one of the Coens' and the last decade's best, definitely destined to be a hidden gem (even despite its Best Picture nomination). I also remember being impressed by its box-office somewhat - its widest release was 262 theaters, but it made over $9m with very strong PTA holds (could have made a few millions more if it had stuck around until Oscar nominations). Now it seems indeed not many people talk about it, but I'm sure it won't be forgotten. It's very smart, very funny, and with great performances by mostly unknown actors - we gotta be happy that it gave us Michael Stuhlbarg. In short, I love it.

[Jack Nevada]

I was heartbroken watching Stuhlbarg performance. He isso expressive and you could just see the despair and confusion on his face.

[4815162342]

Thematically it's all there. The writing is sharp and Stuhlbarg gives a great leading performance. The rest of the acting though...kinda eh.

[Jack Nevada]

Thematically it's all there. The writing is sharp and Stuhlbarg gives a great leading performance. The rest of the acting though...kinda eh.

I didn't like Gopnik's wife, but rest of the bit-players were excellent imo

[Gopher]

This isn't a popular opinion but A Serious Man is my favorite Coen movie, understanding the brilliance of Fargo, Lebowski, O Brother, No Country and Miller's Crossing. It's such a miserably crafted dark comedy.

[Jack Nevada]

This isn't a popular opinion but A Serious Man is my favorite Coen movie, understanding the brilliance of Fargo, Lebowski, O Brother, No Country and Miller's Crossing. It's such a miserably crafted dark comedy.

I too think its better than No Country and Fargo. Lebowski is still my favorite

[JackO]

I don't think it was ignored. It got great reception where it matters with critics and the Academy. If the mouth breathers can't get into a new Coen movie then that is their problem, not the movie's.

[The Toymaker]

I remember that this movie was well regarded with critics and the Oscars.

[Webslinger]

I haven't seen it since the first day it was available on iTunes (more than 2.5 years ago now), but I thought it was a great movie. Michael Stuhlbarg's performance was excellent, the proceedings were unpredictable enough to keep me on my toes throughout, the craft work was as terrific as we've come to expect from a Coen Brothers film, and the intentionally ambiguous ending left me with plenty to think about afterward. I know the Coen Brothers rarely conform to expectations, but it still seemed quite ballsy to end on a shot of an approaching tornado.Among the Coen Brothers' films, I'd rank it behind Fargo and No Country for Old Men, but narrowly ahead of The Big Lebowski.