Streaming Gems: ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Photo from IMDb
From Shane Conto
How big of an impact can a film have on other aspects of culture? Films can spotlight a group of people or culture that can become a prominent fixture in the cultural zeitgeist moving forward. Many films try to deliver important messages to people so they are more informed and hopefully encourage them to do something about it. But film can have effects on other art forms as well. Film can bring back “fads” or styles from another time. In the case of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, it brought a whole music genre back into the cultural limelight.
How did the Coens make such an effective film injected with music change the tastes of people? I am sure most people would not say they were fans of bluegrass and traditional American folk music in the year 2000. There were super pop groups galore at the time and a rise of mainstream hip hop but the soundtrack for the Coens’ latest film blew up and especially for “A Man of Constant Sorrow”. The music plays such an integral part of both the plot and atmosphere of O Brother, Where Art Thou? that the film had to go hard with the music. Whether it is our trio of escaped chain gang members who are grifting their way across the Depression era South or the presence of other characters using their music for their own means, the music hits. Alison Krauss blew up along with other contemporary or classic Americana music stars thanks to this. The music is always present in the film and it always delivers impactful emotion.
What about the story? There was a genius idea that the Coens ran with when they thought a Depression era comedy would be the right way to modernize Homer’s The Odyssey. You have The Oracle (a blind black man on a handcar), the Sirens (a group of angel voiced women who lure our protagonists into a trap), the Cyclops (John Goodman as a Bible salesman in the Klan), and even our lead is Ulysses Everett McGill. The story has its own bits of mystery as George Clooney’s Everett leads his bumbling pals John Turturro’s Pete and Tim Blake Nelson’s Delmar on a journey for bank robbery money. We see the cultural landscape at the time as the Devil (the man with a hollow voice and empty eyes) is on their tale. We ran into infamous bank robber George Nelson. We witness the campaigning shenanigans of Pappy O’Daniels and Homer Stokes (there you go again). This is a hilarious and fun ride that is quite the mosaic of Depression era culture.
What makes this film such an astounding feat of filmmaking? Roger Deakins…of course. The lands were as green as they could possibly be. That did not fit the depressed and dry feel that this adventure was meant to have. Deakins instead changed the color of the film completely in post (which was an unheard of feat of filmmaking at the time). This wondrously fun romp does not forget the impressive filmmakers behind the camera either as it works on so many different levels. This also might be one of the most quotable and hilarious films of the Coens’ filmography. Everett certainly owns the “Gift of Gab” and Clooney throws around endlessly quotable lines.
Speaking of Clooney, how does this cast capture the spirit of the Coens’ film? Clooney is one of the most perfect actors to capture the Coens’ personality. Everett is a trip no matter how despicable his actions get…and that is how we love him. Turturro and Nelson are impressive with Nelson being a real standout for this time period and his character. Goodman is larger than life as he also possesses the “Gift of Gab”. Holly Hunter is a firecracker once she arrives on screen as Clooney’s ex-wife. But Charles Durning and Wayne Duvall need a lot of credit for this impressive turn as a couple of politicians whose stories tangle with our heroes’. But the impressive work of casting for the rest of the character actors (which of course Stephen Root is one) is top notch. But what else would you expect from the Coens?
Why is O Brother, Where Art Thou? such a must see flick? The Coens are one of their generation's greatest filmmakers and this just might be one of their best films (despite not getting treated that way). The dialogue crackles like no other film (outside of the Coens). The cast is pristine with every member delivering in such an impactful way. This bluegrass twist on The Odyssey is truly unique and I can guarantee you will have a few tracks stuck in your head after as well.
You can find O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) streaming on Hulu.
