Jailbird's odyssey trip worth taking

What happens when three escaped convicts try to go home in Depression-era Mississippi? If the Coen brothers have anything to say about it, the three will go on a journey of epic proportions, meeting sexy sirens and a Bible-selling Cyclops and becoming recording stars along the way. The result is a fascinating movie suffering only from a process of high action followed by lulls that lose the viewer.\nUlysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is trying to get home. His wife is getting remarried, and he is still in love with her. So he enlists the help of the two men chained to him. If they can avoid the law long enough, they might just find the freedom they are looking for. Not to mention McGill's promise of buried treasure.\nFor his part, Clooney is excellent as McGill. The leader of the bunch, McGill tries to find his way back to his family and get his friends in trouble with hilarious results. Driven by his need to stop his ex-wife's (Holly Hunter) impending marriage and save his family, Clooney bumbles his way home with finesse and pizazz.\nThe supporting cast is equally good. As the Cyclops, John Goodman has a small role, but he plays it to perfection. Tim Blake Nelson is also amazing as Delbert, the third convict who is a perfect foil to Clooney's know-it-all and John Turturro's wide-eyed, rude interpretations. Driven to get the family farm back, Nelson holds the group together and provides plenty of laughs.\n The movie succeeds in telling an interesting story filled with colorful characters. But like Homer's "The Odyssey," it fails when an important scene is followed by 15 minutes of exposition that could be handled in half the time. Having seen the previews to this movie, viewers will also easily figure out where it is going and where it will end.\nIn the end, "O Brother" is a fine piece of entertaining cinema. See it for the excellent performances, the great soundtrack (viewers will be singing "Man of Constant Sorrow" for days) and to appreciate the genius of the Coen brothers. \nYou won't regret the trip.