HAIL, CAESAR (2016)

3/3/2016 - Hail, Cesar (2016) – 6/10

Perhaps the most blatant and impassioned love letter to old Hollywood I have seen (maybe ever). Unfortunately, that adoration and thoroughness did not translate to a supreme piece of filmmaking. Some light moments of real quality, but they were fleeting.

Cesar is a nice little film. Expertly crafted and entertaining, but a solid step or two below what the Coen Bros. are capable of. It felt too insistent of displaying nostalgia and quirkiness rather than insistent and inspiring storytelling. The non-sequitur “mini movie” nature left for a choppy narrative that had too many gaps and incohsiveness. A vast majority of the acting was supremely good, but they were all isolated, rarely relating to the whole in any appreciable or meaningful way. Seemed there was a gran picture to be made, but they chose to have a bit of fun instead. That is fine, but it only allowed it to be slightly above average.

My own expectations of the plot/characters were a bit off, but when you name your main character after the real-life Hollywood “fixer” Eddie Mannix, you can understand my confusion when the product is so different. I understand lighter fair and mashing multiple characters into one, but I thought it would be darker, especially in light of the silliness of the over-arching plot. So it goes.

They told a fun story, but it was a joy of quirk – in character and plot. The larger story and movie construction was lacking. I did enjoy it and it was above average, but like some of the other best directors in the world, they are judged on a different scale. Decent, but lacking.