Until the last few minutes of this movie, its hero Larry Gopnik is both (a) a perfectly good man, and (b) a spineless worm who lets the world walk over him. Neither trait is humanly credible. Consequently, the movie is too divorced from reality to have much meaning, even as a comedy. And since spinelessness is hardly admirable, one cannot say that Larry is an attractive or sympathetic figure.
The movie is also plagued by elements that remain--how to put it?--unassimilated. Take its curious prologue, which is a parable about moral ambiguity. Someone who appears to be a revered elder and a good samaritan may actually be a demon in disguise--or maybe not; it's hard to tell. But the film itself is about a latter-day Job who suffers the insults, afflictions and outrages of the world: an unambiguously good man to whom unambiguously bad things happen. In short, the prologue has nothing to do with the movie. It's merely the Coen brothers indulging themselves to no purpose, and not for the first time.
The same is true of Rabbi Marshak quoting Grace Slick. Yes, it's a send-up of a false sage. But it's also shallow Boomer populism, telling us, with a collusive wink, that we can get as much wisdom from trippy rock songs as from the learning of the ages. I don't find that to be credible either.
The movie is also plagued by elements that remain--how to put it?--unassimilated. Take its curious prologue, which is a parable about moral ambiguity. Someone who appears to be a revered elder and a good samaritan may actually be a demon in disguise--or maybe not; it's hard to tell. But the film itself is about a latter-day Job who suffers the insults, afflictions and outrages of the world: an unambiguously good man to whom unambiguously bad things happen. In short, the prologue has nothing to do with the movie. It's merely the Coen brothers indulging themselves to no purpose, and not for the first time.
The same is true of Rabbi Marshak quoting Grace Slick. Yes, it's a send-up of a false sage. But it's also shallow Boomer populism, telling us, with a collusive wink, that we can get as much wisdom from trippy rock songs as from the learning of the ages. I don't find that to be credible either.