{"id":710,"date":"2016-06-29T03:46:40","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T03:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lifeatthemovies\/?p=710"},"modified":"2016-11-30T11:25:55","modified_gmt":"2016-11-30T11:25:55","slug":"hail-caesar-reviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lifeatthemovies\/2016\/06\/hail-caesar-reviewed.html","title":{"rendered":"Hail, Caesar! Reviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Too cynical. Satirizing classical Hollywood was always going to be interesting, but Hail Caesar!<\/em> (2016, USA) does not quite hit the mark.\u00a0It lacks imagination.<\/p>\n

Hail, Caesar!<\/em> will still divide audiences: some will find it hilarious, but others will be put-off by its incessant cynicism and ultimate hollow feeling.<\/p>\n

Filming a crucifixion scene in a biblical epic, an actor plays a Roman. He announces how wonderful Jesus is in the scene, but curses off-camera when the director says ‘cut!’.<\/p>\n

In another scene in Hail, Caesar!<\/em>, religious leaders argue with a Hollywood fixer how Jesus should be depicted in a film.\u00a0Though the scene ends amicably, the arguments between the leaders make a mockery of the debate for effect.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Image<\/a>
Image sourced via google images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dividing audiences is nothing new for the writer\/director team of Joel and Ethan Coen who have made ambiguous [read: double meanings] films before.<\/p>\n

Though Hail, Caesar!<\/em> is ambiguous, there is still an interesting story-line involving Eddie Mannix. He is a fixer for Capitol Films, who solves the stars problems. But he needs some inspiration in this factory town.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a decent man caught up in the whirlwind of sticking to a time schedule. And answering important phone calls every hour.<\/p>\n

His big job is to resolve a star\u2019s kidnapping. It lands the star in the company of people with an unusual agenda, honed for satirical effect.<\/p>\n

Life for Mannix seems jaded. He needs an injection of inspiration to give meaning to his routine.<\/p>\n

But this is given a Coen Brothers edge. This Hollywood fixer seems to be managing the Hollywood lie, so being inspired in his job is also a lie.<\/p>\n

That sounds like the point. But ultimately, you don\u2019t really believe in Hail, Caesar!<\/em>\u00a0It is too ambiguous and cynical.<\/p>\n

\n

Warnings<\/strong>\u2014strong profanity<\/p>\n

Notes<\/strong>: Josh Brolin (Eddie Mannix), George Clooney (Baird Whitlock), Alden Ehrenreich (Hobie Doyle), Joel and Ethan Coen (writers\/directors).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Too cynical. Satirizing classical Hollywood was always going to be interesting, but Hail Caesar! (2016, USA) does not quite hit the mark.\u00a0It lacks imagination. Hail, Caesar! will still divide audiences: some will find it hilarious, but others will be put-off by its incessant cynicism and ultimate hollow feeling. Filming a crucifixion scene in a biblical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":602,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[239,21],"tags":[150,61,151,22,46,8,10,9,149,16,60,59,7],"class_list":["post-710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2016-movies","category-comedies","tag-caesar","tag-classics","tag-coen-brothers","tag-comedy","tag-existentialism","tag-film","tag-film-commentaries","tag-film-reviews","tag-hail","tag-life","tag-movie-image","tag-movie-star","tag-movies"],"yoast_head":"\nHail, Caesar! 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