Review - O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and it's been a bit since I last talked about a film by the Coen Brothers, hasn't it? Well, today, I would like to talk about the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which was released in the year 2000, and was written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. O Brother, Where Art Thou? features a stellar cast, which includes the likes of George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Stephen Root, Chris Thomas King, Wayne Duvall, Daniel von Bargen, Musetta Vander, and Charles Durning. 

         The movie tells of an unusual journey across rural Mississippi in the year 1937, which is in the midst of the Great Depression in America. Three convicts named Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar escape from a chain gang, and attempt to hop a ride on a train, only to accidentally fall off. Luckily, a blind old man on a handcar gives them a ride, and tells them of what to expect on their journey, and how the treasure they seek is not the one they'll find. 

        The rest of the movie sees Everett, Pete, and Delmar get help and get betrayed by Pete's cousin, witness and take part in a riverside baptism, and they meet a guitarist named Tommy Johnson, who leads them to a radio station run by a blind man named Mr. Lund, where they record the song "Man of Constant Sorrow" under the band name  the Soggy Bottom Boys. That night, they see law enforcement is still looking for Everett, Pete, and Delmar, and Tommy takes off. The next day, Everett, Pete, and Delmar meet career criminal George "Babyface" Nelson, and head with him to his next bank robbery. 

        After parting from George, the three drive down a ways and hear singing in the distance. Following the song, they run into three women washing their clothes in the river and singing. The three women give the trio a drink, and they pass out. When Everett and Delmar come to, Pete and the three women are gone, so they move on. Pete and Delmar then meet a one-eyed Bible salesman named "Big Dan" Teague, and then he beats them up for some money. Yikes. Eventually, Everett and Delmar end up in town, where Everett reunites with his former wife, Penny, and their daughters. Oh, and Everett and Delmar reunited with Pete, who was turned in by the three women from the river. 

       Another plot point, albeit a small part, is an upcoming election between incumbent governor Melenaus "Pappy" O'Daniel and his opponent Homer Stokes. "Pappy" O'Daniel is a bit grumpy, but appears to be a man of the people. Homer Stokes, on the other hand, also attempts to appear as a man of the people, but is also the leader of a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, and "Big Dan" Teague is part of it, as well. Speaking of the Klan, we see Everett, Pete, and Delmar rescue Tommy from getting lynched by the Klan, and the four go on to perform at an event that both "Pappy" O'Daniel and Homer Stokes are attending, as is Penny. But, it's when they sing "Man of Constant Sorrow" that the crowd realizes that they're the Soggy Bottom Boys and get excited. Stokes attempts to rally the crown against them, only to be turned against himself and tossed out. "Pappy" O'Daniel, meanwhile, joins the Soggy Bottom Boys on stages and and pardons them of any wrongdoings against the state of Mississippi. 

          And, if that weren't enough, it seems Everett and Penny are getting remarried, but only if Everett gets their wedding rings back from their old house. Unfortunately, Sheriff Cooley, who had been chasing Everett, Pete, and Delmar throughout the movie, didn't hear about the pardon, and plans to hang and bury them anyways. But, the valley gets flooded, saving the boys from the noose. Everett returns to his family, only to see he got the wrong ring for Penny. Oops. 

        So, I think that this is pretty much well known, but I'm saying it anyway. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is pretty much a reimagining of the classic Greek epic The Odyssey by Homer. Everett, Pete, and Delmar are Odysseus and his soldiers, the three women in the river are the Sirens. "Big Dan" Teague is the Cyclops, Mr. Lund is Homer, Penny is Penelope, Sheriff Cooley is a mix of both the Devil and Poseidon, "Pappy" O'Daniel is a mix of Melenaus and Zeus, the blind handcar guy is Tiresias, and even the baptismal congregation are the Lotus Eaters. There are so many elements of O Brother that are analogous to The Odyssey that it's hard to miss is. 

         The setting and music are also a big part of what made O Brother stand out. The rural Mississippi setting at the time of the Great Depression was pretty smart, as it feels familiar enough for the audience to be drawn in to a story on the level of The Odyssey. Also, the predominant use of folk and bluegrass music helps to drive the setting and scenario of the movie. 

         The performances were really fantastic. George Clooney as Everett, John Turturro as Pete, Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar, John Goodman as Big Dan Teague, Stephen Root as Mr. Lund, Holly Hunter as Penny, and Charles Durning as Pappy O'Daniel were all fantastic, as was Chris Thomas King as Tommy. The three ladies portraying the Sirens, which were Musetta Vander, Mia Tate, and Christy Taylor, all looked fantastic. 

         Overall, this movie is my second favorite film by the Coen Brothers after, of course, The Big Lebowski. I really enjoyed O Brother, Where Art Thou? for its combination of Americana and a Greek epic. I'm giving O Brother, Where Art Thou? a rating of 5/5. 

         Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.