Richie’s Review: Hail, Caesar!

Universal Studios

Hail, Caesar! is the new movie created by the Coen brothers, this movie is very similar to their other films such as Fargo and Big Lebowski. Hail, Caesar! is about a man (played by George Clooney) who gets drugged and is taken hostage from a group of men who call themselves The Future. The majority of the film takes place on the set of Hollywood productions/studios during the 1950s. Right off the bat I’m going to say this movie is so different from any other movie I’ve seen before. With that being said, there are pros and cons of the strangeness.

Some reasons why Hail, Caesar! is strange in a good way is because of the way it’s set-up. During the movie, the Coen brothers created a bunch of small films that exploit how movies were at the time, and all movies were perfectly made to give off the nostalgic style of the 50s. For example, there is a Western with the most over-the-top horseback riding and stunts that would only be believable during the time period. There is also a sailor musical, with Channing Tatum dancing on top of tables and tap dancing as if he were apart of West Side Story.

Another reason why Hail, Caesar! Is such an unusual film, is the way that the Coen brothers use their cast. There is quite an array of stars in this movie, and they are all used how you have never seen them before. Scarlett Johansen plays a mean-spirited tough girl who has to find a husband in order to have a good image. Channing Tatum plays a Rico Suave communist that sings and dances as if he were a human version of Happy Feet. George Clooney plays a big-time, dim-witted actor that stays dressed in a toga the whole film. Then there is new talent shown by Alden Ehrenreich, he plays a western actor that can’t do much but sing country songs, do amazing tricks on a horse and play with a lasso really well. Josh Brolin, the main character, plays a man who goes around the studios just help keeping everyone in check and solving problems all around.

Problems some people will have with the movie is the plot itself. Even though the movie has a main plot, the film at times does feel like it is one scene after another. This is because some parts would have nothing to do with the plot. For instance, there is a scene where the audience is introduced to Scarlett Johansson through an elegant sequence of aquatic choreography. Even though it’s beautiful and I appreciated the hard work put into the craft, there is honestly no point to the scene except for entertainment and an addition of a useless character.

Overall, I feel that Hail, Caesar! is a well-crafted, appreciably acted movie with lots of original scenes and material to make it feel fresh. Although it does get off track at times, it has enough story to keep the pace steady. Hail, Caesar! is for people who appreciate film and what it once used to be.