Drawing upon the biblical Book of Job, A Serious Man is easily the most Jewish film that writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen could make.
The Coen Brothers were two years removed from taking home a trio of Oscars for No Country for Old Men. The pair would follow it up with some lighter fare, Burn After Reading. Okay, so the latter film didn’t quite hit in the same way so it was back to the drawing board so to speak. The result: an astounding film about a Jewish man whose life falls apart in front of his own eyes.
Anyway, Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor seeking tenure. His tenure is put at risk because a student is blackmailing him for a higher grade. If Larry’s professional life isn’t bad enough, his home life is certainly heading to rock bottom. Judith (Sari Lennick) seeks a get from Larry because she is in love with Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Arthur (Richard Kind), Larry’s brother, ends up moving into the hotel room. If this isn’t enough, son Danny (Aaron Wolff) would probably rather be high than study for his Bar Mitzvah while daughter Sarah (Jessica McManus) would like to get a nose job. This certainly is not the life that Larry could have ever imagined.
“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you.” Rashi’s words only set the tone for what we’re about to see. Opening the film in a 19th-20th century Polish shtetl is genius. To top it off, the dialogue is nothing but Yiddish. Honestly, the opening prologue has nothing to do with the rest of the film but this doesn’t matter because it’s such a treat! Anyway, Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” gives the film an assist during the time jump to 1967. Minnesota could probably be as good of a guess as any. This would obviously make sense because the Coens grew up there. After missing out on Burn After Reading, cinematographer Roger Deakins returns to the Coen fold. He just has a way of making everything look so beautiful.
More often than not, Jewish culture on screen is depicted by way of New York. There is something refreshing about seeing Judaism through the eyes of another community. They’re still Ashkenazi Jews but again, it’s not the traditional New York community that we see on the screen. Regardless, they are going for authenticity where possible. Take the Bar Mitzvah, for instance. You could not do this scene with non-Jews and get away with it. The Coens are from Minnesota so giving the film a Minnesota setting makes perfect sense. Even if the film doesn’t outright say that it is Minnesota, the Coens have pretty much said it is Minnesota. Moreover, all the synagogue scenes are completely authentic. I would not have it any other way!
Setting the film in 1967 means having a particular style in both wardrobe, hair styles, and production design. Had they set the film two years later, it would be a completely different story. Visually speaking, the film is more colorful than it could have been.
The Coen Brothers are brilliant writers. To say that this film is no different would not be an understatement. The script would get an Oscar nomination. Anyway, there’s something fun in watching Larry Gopnik go into survival mode while taking hit after hit. Well, fun probably might not be the best word but you get where I’m coming from. We should not get too excited by one person being so miserable. Again, the duo are drawing upon the Book of Job. Appropriately, there is a deeper meaning between the lines. And yet, we can’t help ourselves but continue watching even as the rabbi is too busy to see him!
A Serious Man remains one of the best films from 2009.
DIRECTORS/SCREENWRITERS: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
CAST: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, Simon Helberg, Amy Landecker, Fyvush Finkel, George Wyner
