John-Turturro Movie Reviews

THE best film I've seen in years .
Primo ( John Turturro in his best role )is a survivor of Auschwitz , survivor of Holocaust . He is Italian Jew saved by Russians at the end of WWII . All he wants is so simple - just to go home . But railroads are destroyed and he has to make a detour true Minsk ( Minsk is a capital of Belorussia . Minsk is a hometown of my mother . Minsk is the city where only 4 buildings was still standing after WWII . Minsk is the city which my mother had to leave when she was 2 years old and hide under the horse cart during the air strikes ... she still can't talk about it .)At the same time he need to learn how to live usual life , how to look without scare , without pain . How to live at all .
What makes this film 10 stars out of 5 ... little details , the feeling , the scare in everyone's eyes . I know this feeling . I know this scare . I don't want to remember it , but this film brought it back . And especially now I think everyone have to learn it ... before it is too late .
This film is very slow and very deep . Acting on highest level - I even forgot that this is actors "acting". What shocked me most - the details , just little things which are so important ,
This film have to be watched by everyone and taken deep into our hearts . This kind of story might and have to change our world for better .

"russianwriter"

If posible, I would award ten stars to the film version of Primo Levi's "La Tregua". This is a superb movie about what happened to the prisoners of Auschwitz after their liberation by the Red Army. The role of Primo, an Italian Jew, is played brilliantly by John Turturro. Along with survivors of various nationalities, the band of liberated Italians is taken to a transition camp run by Soviet medical personnel. Here the survivors recover from their ordeal, rebuilding their strength for the long journey home. A chemist by profession, Primo joins the Soviet medical staff until the train finally arrives to transport everyone home. Unfortunately, the railroad track has been everywhere destroyed by war, necessitating a prolonged and circuituous route through Minsk. During the trip, the Holocaust survivors are dependent on the limited supplies of the Red Army and the generosity of impoverished Soviet citizens.

The Italian language is "dubbed" in accented English for this American film, and a variety of foreign languages -- Russian, Polish, Ukranian, German, French -- are spoken without subtitles. This very realistically conveys the confusion and frustration experienced by the survivors. The audience, like Primo, must rely on translators or simply decipher some dialogue from context or pantomime. By utilizing panoramic filming of scenery, changing gradually from dreary winter to spring to early summer, the movie gives a strong sense of the interminable duration of the journey home. Recurrent throughout the film are eerie black-and-white flashbacks to the horror of Auschwitz. Some of these are wrenching. Overall,though, the theme is of hope, and of camaraderie and kindness helping to heal the wounds of the Holocaust. Watching "Truce" is an emotional experience, depicting true events that must never be forgotten.

I rarely write reviews. This film compels in more ways than words can express. It has it all: soul, humor, a teaching conscience, which is rare in film today. It is well-made and well-directed, and the acting is superb and convincing. I saw it several times in the theater and anticipate owning my own copy. This is the kind of film that should be required viewing in today's college history classes when World War II is covered--learning "what happened next" is as important as the events themselves, so that we can see the results of our actions, or our inactions.

John Turturro pulls out all stops here in this gangster version of Macbeth in the 'title' role (Michael Battaglia), ably complemented by his real-life wife, Katharine Borowitz as Lady Macbeth/Mrs. Battaglia. Also contributing with great performances are Rod Steiger as the aging mob chieftain (the King), Peter Boyle, Dennis Farina, Stanley Tucci, and, in an inspired bit of casting, comic Stephen Wright. The performances are truly riveting. It's a shame that the 'expert' critics can't see the power and ingenuity of this film.

Far more than a shlock version of Shakespeare's masterpiece, it's an intense, flawless work, updating the Bard's lines with the brutal lingo of the mob. William Reilly, the writer-director, also co-wrote Mortal Thoughts, another sadly overlooked razor-sharp film. And he really knows how to write; the script here allows the performances to be as great as they are.

Don't pay attention to Leonard's totally-missing-the-boat words of condemnation. In fact, I would say, Out, out, damned Leonard. Rent this movie--better yet, buy it. You won't be disappointed.

This film is flawless. Don't let the TRULY pretentious Shakespeare snobbery of the reviewers put you off if you're fans of the mob genre or the greatest writer of all time. Done with a more modest indie budget, it compares equally with "Goodfellas" or any other example you care to name and the Shakespearean quality remains in the timelessness of human lust for power. Maltin's talking about flashlights shows a genuine density of insight, as the character is actually wandering at night in a trance of insanity. Its not about sleeping disorders, Leonard!

Turturro by the way gives this film his best performance ever and all the casting is outstanding.

I thought that Men of Respect was a great rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth, for those who like Mafia movies. The screenplay did a very good job of adapting Macbeth to a mafia format. I highly recomend this movie

I don't watch football. I could care less about football. The great thing is that you don't have to enjoy football at all to enjoy this immensely entertaining and brilliantly acted behind-the-scenes true-story. I would rank this up there with "Barbarians at the Gate" and "Reversal of Fortune" as one of the best docu-dramas ever made. John Turturro is spellbinding as Howard Cosell (much better in my opinion that Jon Voight's Oscar-nominated performance in the same role in "Ali"). If he doesn't get an Emmy for this, I'd be really disappointed. John Heard and Brad Beyer also turn in great perfomances as well. The writing really gets to the emotional depth of each character. Even if you hate football, you'll find a lot to like in this fascinating true story of battling egos, corporate politics and history-making moments.

Anyone who's addicted to Monday Night Football but doesn't know how the whole thing got started should see this movie. John Turturro gives a remarkable performance as Howard Cosell, who is both the most prominent and sympathetic character in the movie. Brad Beyer is pretty funny as Don Meredith, and John Heard draws the audience into his enthusiasm for MNF as Roone Arledge. There is plenty of archival football footage, and even the music goes along well with the action. I really enjoyed this movie; besides giving a good account of how MNF began, it satisfied my craving for anything NFL-related during the off-season.

Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" is one of my personal favorite films. Than again, many people see it as one of Allen's best films.
I think that along with "Crimes & Misdemeanors" this is one of Allen's best comedy\drama's and one of his best ensemble cast.
When I first saw this film, I didn't like it. All the characters story-lines tied up together, it just didn't seem interesting. Then one day I decided to watch the WHOLE film this time. As I watched it, I thought it was great. The acting was wonderful, infact to this day I can't understand why Barbara Hershey didn't win the Oscar over Diane Wiest instead. I think Hershey had the better role.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" tells the story of one very large family as marriages break up,people find new loves, and others carry around secret crushes. Without spoiling anything here's a somewhat brief out-line. Elliot (Michael Cane) is married to Hannah (Mia Farrow) but, Elliot has a crush on Lee (Barbara Hershey). Now, Lee on the other hand is living with a much older man, whom is more like a mentor now than a lover, the reclusive Frederick (Max von Sydow). There is also another sister, Holly (Diane Wiest). Holly is seen as the "wild" one and is the youngest of the three. A fraction of the story is about the bond these sisters have with each other.
Now, Hannah was married once before to Mickey (Allen) a once famous and respected tv producer now caught with a flop on his hands.
Meanwhile, Hannah, who is seen as the "center" of the family must keep her parents from driving each other crazy. They are played by Farrow's real life mother Maureen O' Sullivan and Lloyd Nolan.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" has such a bittersweet tone to it. Allen really displays a wonderful talent of being able to pull off these ensemble pieces. He is able to make each character seem exciting, and devotes enough time to each character where we get a sense of knowing them. Not to mention the way Allen throws in his style of humor when dealing with sometimes serious subjects. One character through-out the film is trying to find out the meaning of life (I'll leave it up to you to figure out who it is).
Some of my personal favorite moments in the film include a scene where Allen goes out on a date with Holly (Diane Wiest). She is the complete opposite of him. After a while Allen takes her to the Cafe Caryle to hear Bobby Short. Another favorite scene has to do with Elliot (Caine) and Lee (Hershey) going to a bookstore and finally Allen watching "Duck Soup" near the end of the film.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" won three Oscars; "Best Supporting Actor" (Caine), "Best Supporting Actress (Wiest) and "Best Original Screenplay" (Allen)
Keep your eyes open for Tony Roberts and Sam Waterson both appear unbilled. Carrie Fisher, J.T. Walsh,Julie Kaver, Daniel Stern, & Julia Louis-Dreyfus have minor roles.
Bottom-line: One of Woody Allen's best films. A modern classic. A movie that shows Allen's ability to combine comedy and drama so well. Sets a great pace and has a wonderful "feel" to it.

In one of woody' best film, he is able to captivate the lives of 3 totally different sisters (and a hypocondriac husband) into an oscar winning film! The first sister is of course Hannah, the kind nurturing mother/ wife, who has remained good friends with her ex (allen) and her new husband (Michael Caine in an oscar winning role) who finds her hard to live with, because she gives so much and expects so little in return. The other sister is Lee (Barbra Hershey who is great) the beautiful, but emotionally sad sister, who wants to escape from her college professor boyfriend, and eventually falls in love with Hannah's husband.
The last sister is Holly (Dianne Wiest in an oscar winning role) the eccentric original person, who strives to find herself, while accidentally bringing down her sister hannah, and her rival April (Carrie Fisher). But by the end of the fillm they have all found happiness. Hannah has become more close to her husband. Lee has shrugged off her affair with Hannah's husband (who has fallen back in love with Hannah), and found new love. woody Allen (who has converted to Catholicism, but then tries several other religions) becomes lesser of a hypocondriac,and Holly & woody allen have married. And Allen (unable to have a child with hannah has a child with Holly)! crackerjack cameos by Maurren O' sullivan, and Daniel Stern! A great film all around! A+!

This film is considered by many to be Allen's comic masterpiece. The ensemble cast includes the best in the business during the mid 80's: Michael Cain, Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Carrie Fisher and an extraordinary performance from Max Von Sydow. We have all the Allen concerns in this film - death, love, religion, ethics and the comic situations that arise in family relationships when its members choose the wrong path. The adulterous (Michael Cain) husband falls in love with his wife's sister, whom also happens to be involved in a relationship with an older man, (Max Von Sydow) which, ironically, in the end, frees her from this affiliation because of its smothering nature. Cain puts in a magnificent performance, as the guilt-ridden adulterer who cannot keep his impulses under control. The way he goes about instigating the affair is adolescent-love-struck-infatuation- behaviour at it most laughable form.

Allen plays Allen, of course, but at his most charming and funny best. As a hypochondriac, he needs his pseudo illnesses in order to have meaning in his life. After a simple physical, the doctor hints that he might have something seriously wrong him; soon Allen suspects that he could have a brain tumour (the size of a basketball) and frets and frets until almost having a nervous breakdown. Later, to his great relief, he's told he's fine, but his life changes and now must discover life's 'true' meaning. This is true to the mark because after a 'close call' some of us do in fact go on a 'what's the meaning of life' journey. This of course is a natural thing to do. He tries everything from Nietzsche to Catholicism and finally discovers something very simple.

This is a family saga that is at once tragedy and comedy where you'll be laughing one second and crying the next. All the characters are searching for one meaning or another except Hannah. In the eyes of her family she's perfect. But she's anything but perfect and comes to realize this ... Mia did a wonderful job playing Mia and I had a great amount of sympathy for the character by the end of the film.

This is a film that one never grows tired of - it is undeniably a work of genius.

Clockers is a shocking, crime film with fantastic performances. I won't go into the plot because you can read about that below. I will say that the performances are nothing short of brilliant. The brutality is honest and true and the depiction of the neighborhood balanced. Yes folks it is true, not everyone who lives in a supposed ghetto deal drugs or commit crimes and I appreciate Spike Lee for showing that.

The performances are brilliant especially Kietel. I am a fan of Harvey Kietel and I love his character in this film. Filmed as a typical racist(maybe just ignorant) cop and in the end coming to a realisation that he played a part in the violence.

I too believe this to be Spike Lee's best film(I can't believe I just said that). Yes, even better than Do The Right Thing in my opinion. Check this film out, you won't be sorry.

BTW, the soundtrack isn't too bad either. A great songs by Seal and Desiree stand out.

With so many films based around the topic of drugs,and urban decay,and leaving the audience with a sense of (ok,I've seen this story before)made me ask "IS ClOcKeRs worth my time?" Hell yes! Spike Lee'S classic, ... yes classic, is so RAW,REAL,and POWERFUL that it makes all previous drug focused films seem pointless. what i mean is, most films that cover this topic seem to glamorize the lifestyle,and leaves no message.ClOcKeRs is the tail of A young black male called Strike who's spot on the benches and bleeding ulcer is getting the best of him, until his boss Rodney gives him a chance to move up in the drug game.When a fellow drug dealer gets killed,and Strike's hard working (legit) brother confesses to the murder,A detective by the name of Roco feels that there's more to the story. With a very raw intro and out standing directing, Spike Lee brings the realness to the screen with ClOcKeRs. so go rent it Aiight.

Highlights: Harvey Keitel's, Mekhi Phifer's and Delroy Lindo's amazing performances; the tightest script ever written by Spike Lee; philosophical themes well-developed; candidly brutal depictions of the projects, with all their crack dealers and lack of aspiration.

Lowpoints: The musical score at times gets a little too overwhelming; Clockers' pace falters, but that's to be expected from a Spike Lee joint, and Clockers is the most successful venue on his resume yet.

Conclusion: A fine, powerful drama that deals with the life of a young man, born in the projects and trying to make a living from dealing crack cocaine. The acting is exceptional, particularly Harvey Keitel's, who always mesmerizes and here delivers a performance that, in terms of intensity, could only be compared to his work in Abel Ferrarra's Bad Lieutenant. The characters are spot-on, the script sizzles, and there are scnes that will make viewers choke on tears of compassion.

SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: Do the Right Thing, Menace II Society, Baby Boy.
DON'T SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: O, Save the Last Dance, Monkey Trouble.

My twenty something daughter & I both love this movie. It was the first time I had seen Illeana Douglas & John Turturro in a movie, & I loved them both. I've found since then that John Turturro is a chameleon, changing physically with each character. I'll never forget Illeana D. in this role--like one of your reviewers said, it's hard to believe she wasn't singing the songs. I loved the music of all the groups in this movie--wish all of the songs were included on the music cd. The girl who sings "God Give Me Strength" was fantastic! As were all singers in this movie. Matt Dillon, Eric Stoltz, & Bruce Davison were excellent, as always. Christina Pickles & Bridget Fonda were great in their small parts, also as usual. I was disappointed that Leonard Maltin gave this movie only 2 1/2 stars, but he does that for a lot of movies that I like. I watched this movie at late night on HBO or some cable channel about two years ago, & became addicted to it, & guess I also infected my daughter. I have ordered a dvd for both of us for Xmas--am looking forward to seeing all the extras. I thought that Edna served as a symbol of the growth of rock music from the early sixties through the eighties. Also, it showed the treatment of a woman in this industry, although probably not as really hard as it was. And, it showed the relationship struggles that real women go through every day. But, it was the music that makes this movie so great for me, & the portrayal of this music & the music business by the great actors.

'Grace of My Heart' was a wonderful movie, with a poigniant message. It chronicals the life of Edna (Illeana Douglas) through the music that she writes. Illeana Douglas gives a stirring performance, she seems to age along with the character, as if the movie had actually been made over 12 years (the amount of time the movie covers). John Turturro masters his role as Joel, to the point of making you forget he is the same man who played chess in 'The Luhzin Defence' or stuttered on television in 'Quiz Show'. Matt Dillon also creates an unforgetable character.

Grace of My Heart makes you feel all of the right emotions you can feel in a movie: joy, sadness, shock, humor, suspense and also feel content. Its realism is surprising, while its ideal-worldishness is masterful. It blends the shock of the real world with a utopian zest that very few movies can gracefully achieve.

A superbly done movie, that I recommend to everyone that has ever had a dream, and strived for it.

Though this film will probably not have much appeal to anyone under 40, it is a clever and entertaining look at the most exciting and creative period in pop music history. Many 'stars' of this era are parodied here, and those familiar with the music of the 60's will immediately recognize the characters portrayed. The original music is beautiful, and recorded with incredible authenticty. John Turturro is marvelous as the New York hot-shot music publisher, carefully nurturing his latest discovery, a female songwriter (played by Illeana Douglas) who turns out hit after hit and makes a fortune for herself and the publishing company, but wants only to make her own record as a singer. "Denise" finally gets to do just that, but only after losing two husbands and for a short while, her own mind. This is one of just a few films that I watch at least 3 times a year.

My twenty something daughter & I both love this movie. It was the first time I had seen Illeana Douglas & John Turturro in a movie, & I loved them both. I've found since then that John Turturro is a chameleon, changing physically with each character. I'll never forget Illeana D. in this role--like one of your reviewers said, it's hard to believe she wasn't singing the songs. I loved the music of all the groups in this movie--wish all of the songs were included on the music cd. The girl who sings "God Give Me Strength" was fantastic! As were all singers in this movie. Matt Dillon, Eric Stoltz, & Bruce Davison were excellent, as always. Christina Pickles & Bridget Fonda were great in their small parts, also as usual. I was disappointed that Leonard Maltin gave this movie only 2 1/2 stars, but he does that for a lot of movies that I like. I watched this movie at late night on HBO or some cable channel about two years ago, & became addicted to it, & guess I also infected my daughter. I have ordered a dvd for both of us for Xmas--am looking forward to seeing all the extras. I thought that Edna served as a symbol of the growth of rock music from the early sixties through the eighties. Also, it showed the treatment of a woman in this industry, although probably not as really hard as it was. And, it showed the relationship struggles that real women go through every day. But, it was the music that makes this movie so great for me, & the portrayal of this music & the music business by the great actors.

'Grace of My Heart' was a wonderful movie, with a poigniant message. It chronicals the life of Edna (Illeana Douglas) through the music that she writes. Illeana Douglas gives a stirring performance, she seems to age along with the character, as if the movie had actually been made over 12 years (the amount of time the movie covers). John Turturro masters his role as Joel, to the point of making you forget he is the same man who played chess in 'The Luhzin Defence' or stuttered on television in 'Quiz Show'. Matt Dillon also creates an unforgetable character.

Grace of My Heart makes you feel all of the right emotions you can feel in a movie: joy, sadness, shock, humor, suspense and also feel content. Its realism is surprising, while its ideal-worldishness is masterful. It blends the shock of the real world with a utopian zest that very few movies can gracefully achieve.

A superbly done movie, that I recommend to everyone that has ever had a dream, and strived for it.

Though this film will probably not have much appeal to anyone under 40, it is a clever and entertaining look at the most exciting and creative period in pop music history. Many 'stars' of this era are parodied here, and those familiar with the music of the 60's will immediately recognize the characters portrayed. The original music is beautiful, and recorded with incredible authenticty. John Turturro is marvelous as the New York hot-shot music publisher, carefully nurturing his latest discovery, a female songwriter (played by Illeana Douglas) who turns out hit after hit and makes a fortune for herself and the publishing company, but wants only to make her own record as a singer. "Denise" finally gets to do just that, but only after losing two husbands and for a short while, her own mind. This is one of just a few films that I watch at least 3 times a year.

A millionaire's young wife is supposedly kidnapped. And it just so happens that the millionaire shares the same name with The Dude. Two thug's break into The Dude's house and ruin his favorite carpet... what can you say? They had the wrong Lebowski. So the dude tries to get his carpet replaced (because it really tied the room together, afterall) and embarks on a wild journey with his paranoid best friend, euro-trash anarchists, an erotic artist, and an eccentric Latino bowler.

The story itself is pretty arbitrary... it's the oddball cast of characters that really makes the movie so chraming. It stars Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Steve Buscemi. The characters are quirky and very loveable. The dialogue is witty but not for the faint of heart. And the DVD comes in both standard and widescreen formats. This is among one of my favorite movies.

I can't quite figure out why this film didn't do very well at the box office, except that it might be a little too odd and meandering for most people. I, on the other hand, thought Jeff Bridges delivered an Oscar worthy performance as "The Dude" (aka Jeff Lebowski), a hapless stoner/bowler who reluctantly ends up a part of a kidnapping scheme. John Goodman is also wonderful (as usual) as his slightly off kilter veteran fellow bowler and Steve Buscemi has a small but memorable role as well. I agree that this movie is more about atmosphere than plot, but I think it works beautifully and I was solidly entertained and amused then entire time. It's certainly not your average comedy, or even a straight-out comedy, but it's a lot of fun to peek in on these strange lives intertwining and to watch the story unfold through the eyes of "The Dude". I can say with certainty you will never see anything quite like this and I for one am impressed with the unique and strange worlds we are exposed to in each Coen brothers project. I highly recommend this film!

The Coen brothers followed their kidnapping blunder movie in Minnesota (Fargo) with this kidnapping blunder movie set in Los Angeles. (Add Raising Arizona and you have a trilogy.) They threw together a dozen different ideas, loosely strung into a needlessly complex plot. The main characters were inspired by real people. Their friend Jeff, who helped promote some of their previous films, was used as the model for Jeff Lebowski. (Like the real Jeff, he called himself The Dude.) Walter is based on John Milius, the screenwriter and director of Conan the Barbarian. Then they threw in nihilists, avant-garde art, a funny Busby Berkley-inspired dream sequence, a TV show writer in an iron lung, Saddam Hussein, a ferret in a bathtub, and lots of bowling. Just when you thought you'd seen enough unconnected characters and scenes, another one comes along. By the end, you aren't sure what happened, but you laughed a lot.

What does it all mean? Nothing, really. But the plot isn't the point. This is a "hang out" movie --- you watch so you can vicariously hang out with the Dude and Walter. The Coen brothers succeeded in making a movie as loose as its main character. The Dude doesn't care about the meaning of it all, so why should the Coens? Just keep it funny, strange, and fast. That's good enough for five stars. The extras on this DVD are okay. There's a brief documentary about making the film, including interviews with all the key actors and the directors.

You don't necessarily need to enjoy bluegrass, but it sure don't hurt because some of the finest bluegrass in the world is probably heard in this video. Norman Blake does a terrific rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," and you'll find a real "old timey" sound coming from The Whites, The Cox Family, Allison Krauss, and other Newgrass artists. The movie is charming, gutsy, and hugely entertaining. George Clooney-- who happens to look remarkably like Clark Gable in this movie-- shows his talent for the comedic in his role as Ulysses Everett McGill, the smooth talker in the trio of escapees fleeing a chain gang in 1920s Mississippi. Adventures, escapades, and political predicaments follow hot on their recently-freed heels, and all of it is accompanied with unforgettable music. Buy the soundtrack if, for nothing else, the "Soggy Bottom Boys'" rendition of 'Man of Constant Sorrow.' O Brother is a treasure.

The Coen brothers serve up a beautifully filmed and nearly perfectly executed movie with many scenes and songs that linger in ones head. It shows both the dark and light of the South in the depression, and reminds us of the power of the music that tried to help everyone get through the rough times. The warmer sounds of songs like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and "I'll Fly Away" are yearnings for that better place far away. The premier song, "Man of constant sorrow", is a great blues\bluegrass piece, with both performances by Clooney and Cohorts being enjoyably funny. But perhaps the most impressive song and visual in this film is the baptism scene, when our heroes are suddenly surrounded by white clad Christians floating through the beautiful Southern woods like fireflies all singing a building gospel hymn "Down to the river" - a very mesmerizing moment.

The performances are great. Clooney has an energetic wild eyed zeal and pulls of some great rapid dialog as Ulysses. Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro do well as the slow witted traveling companions. Daniel von Bargen (probably known best currently for his role as the Commandant at the military school on "Malcom in the Middle") fits the old image of the sherrif perfectly with his cool mannerisms, black outfit, sunglasses (the only person wearing them) and black hat.

While generally funny, the film also has reminders of the effects of the depression on already poor farmers. It also doesn't forget racial issues in the form of the KKK and how many of its members could make themselves out to be "normal decent folk" during the day when they weren't hiding in bedsheets carrying silly names. Some people take offense at the KKK scene in the movie, but I thought it pointed out the silliness of these people dressing in these costumes and thinking they were superior while also showing that enough stupidity gathered together can do some pretty terrible things. It can be an uncomfortable scene, but it does contribute to the story (and shows, through our heroes, that not *every* white person in the south was a bigot).

Ultimately, this movie was an enjoyable experience for me. I could even call it uplifting, as it's beautiful photography and soundtrack have caused me to start liking the South again and appeciate more of the Gospel and Bluegrass from the time. I love listening to "I'll Fly Away" from the soundtrack and picturing soaring up over the dusty roads and fields through gold tinted lenses.

Best movie ever, in my opinion. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. I'm no fan of George Clooney, but in this movie he was awesome! And don't be fooled by the title- I thought it was a Shakespearean movie, but it's actually set in the Deep South in the 1920s or so.

The Coen brothers' screenplay is genius, flawlessly combining elements of Homer's Odyssey and the history of the Deep South (I especially liked "servant of the little man" and "who made the color guard colored?"). The three main characters- Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro- are all very good and extremely different. The movie is full of hilarity from beginning to end, straddling the line between fantasy and reality without ever becoming ludicrous. Half the fun consists of how gross all the characters look/act (but in a funny way), as well as the strange pronunciations (you might want to turn on subtitles in order to understand some of the dialogue). The other half lies in the absolutely brilliant screenplay, filled with unexpected twists and turns at every juncture.

Today's comedies are so often full of either cheap, lowbrow gags or overly dark humor. This movie has neither, and furthermore contains a number of wonderful historical and mythical references- glued together by stunning performances from all actors involved. I've watched this movie again and again, and it never loses its charm. Some of the later scenes involving Holly Hunter (as the nasty ex-wife) are not particularly funny and, in my opinion, inferior to the rest of the piece. Nevertheless, this picture is the best comedy I have ever seen. See it now if you haven't already!

You don't necessarily need to enjoy bluegrass, but it sure don't hurt because some of the finest bluegrass in the world is probably heard in this video. Norman Blake does a terrific rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," and you'll find a real "old timey" sound coming from The Whites, The Cox Family, Allison Krauss, and other Newgrass artists. The movie is charming, gutsy, and hugely entertaining. George Clooney-- who happens to look remarkably like Clark Gable in this movie-- shows his talent for the comedic in his role as Ulysses Everett McGill, the smooth talker in the trio of escapees fleeing a chain gang in 1920s Mississippi. Adventures, escapades, and political predicaments follow hot on their recently-freed heels, and all of it is accompanied with unforgettable music. Buy the soundtrack if, for nothing else, the "Soggy Bottom Boys'" rendition of 'Man of Constant Sorrow.' O Brother is a treasure.

The Coen brothers serve up a beautifully filmed and nearly perfectly executed movie with many scenes and songs that linger in ones head. It shows both the dark and light of the South in the depression, and reminds us of the power of the music that tried to help everyone get through the rough times. The warmer sounds of songs like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and "I'll Fly Away" are yearnings for that better place far away. The premier song, "Man of constant sorrow", is a great blues\bluegrass piece, with both performances by Clooney and Cohorts being enjoyably funny. But perhaps the most impressive song and visual in this film is the baptism scene, when our heroes are suddenly surrounded by white clad Christians floating through the beautiful Southern woods like fireflies all singing a building gospel hymn "Down to the river" - a very mesmerizing moment.

The performances are great. Clooney has an energetic wild eyed zeal and pulls of some great rapid dialog as Ulysses. Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro do well as the slow witted traveling companions. Daniel von Bargen (probably known best currently for his role as the Commandant at the military school on "Malcom in the Middle") fits the old image of the sherrif perfectly with his cool mannerisms, black outfit, sunglasses (the only person wearing them) and black hat.

While generally funny, the film also has reminders of the effects of the depression on already poor farmers. It also doesn't forget racial issues in the form of the KKK and how many of its members could make themselves out to be "normal decent folk" during the day when they weren't hiding in bedsheets carrying silly names. Some people take offense at the KKK scene in the movie, but I thought it pointed out the silliness of these people dressing in these costumes and thinking they were superior while also showing that enough stupidity gathered together can do some pretty terrible things. It can be an uncomfortable scene, but it does contribute to the story (and shows, through our heroes, that not *every* white person in the south was a bigot).

Ultimately, this movie was an enjoyable experience for me. I could even call it uplifting, as it's beautiful photography and soundtrack have caused me to start liking the South again and appeciate more of the Gospel and Bluegrass from the time. I love listening to "I'll Fly Away" from the soundtrack and picturing soaring up over the dusty roads and fields through gold tinted lenses.

Best movie ever, in my opinion. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. I'm no fan of George Clooney, but in this movie he was awesome! And don't be fooled by the title- I thought it was a Shakespearean movie, but it's actually set in the Deep South in the 1920s or so.

The Coen brothers' screenplay is genius, flawlessly combining elements of Homer's Odyssey and the history of the Deep South (I especially liked "servant of the little man" and "who made the color guard colored?"). The three main characters- Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro- are all very good and extremely different. The movie is full of hilarity from beginning to end, straddling the line between fantasy and reality without ever becoming ludicrous. Half the fun consists of how gross all the characters look/act (but in a funny way), as well as the strange pronunciations (you might want to turn on subtitles in order to understand some of the dialogue). The other half lies in the absolutely brilliant screenplay, filled with unexpected twists and turns at every juncture.

Today's comedies are so often full of either cheap, lowbrow gags or overly dark humor. This movie has neither, and furthermore contains a number of wonderful historical and mythical references- glued together by stunning performances from all actors involved. I've watched this movie again and again, and it never loses its charm. Some of the later scenes involving Holly Hunter (as the nasty ex-wife) are not particularly funny and, in my opinion, inferior to the rest of the piece. Nevertheless, this picture is the best comedy I have ever seen. See it now if you haven't already!