Joel and Ethan Coen have done it again with their latest venture, “Hail, Caesar!”
Set in 1950s Hollywood, “Hail, Caesar!” tells the story of Eddie Mannix, who works for Capitol Pictures to keep its actors’ scandals out of the press. His main focus is the movie “Hail, Caesar!” and keeping its lead, Baird Whitlock, out of trouble.
This proves to be more difficult than expected, as Baird is drugged and kidnapped by a group known as ‘the Future,’ and ransomed for $100,000. Mannix must find a way to get the money to the group.
In addition to this, the movie contains subplots involving other stars working for Capitol. Some of these includes DeeAnna Moran’s pregnancy, Hobie Doyle’s inability to act in anything but Westerns and song-and-dance-man Burt Gurney’s desire to be something more.
The film stars Josh Brolin as Eddie Mannix, George Clooney as Baird Whitlock, Scarlett Johansson as DeeAnna Moran, Alden Ehrenreich as Hobie Doyle and Channing Tatum as Burt Gurney, convincing anyone he belongs in a musical.
“Hail, Caesar!” is the third Coen brothers movie starring George Clooney, and is also the third film in the “Numbskull Triology.”
The musical number featuring Tatum was the highlight of the entire movie. Anyone who’s seen his work knows he can dance, but to see him do highly intricate tap choreography by Tony-winner Christopher Gattelli, of “Newsies” fame, while singing — and singing well, it must be added — is an absolute treat. One can only hope he’ll be treading the boards on Broadway sometime soon.
Brolin does excellent work as the highly pragmatic Mannix, and Clooney plays the role of matinee idol Whitlock with aplomb.
Johansson also brings a great deal of humor to “Hail, Caesar!” as aquamusical star Moran, but Ehrenreich stole the show as the lovable Doyle and his attempts at being something he clearly is not, Texas accent and all.
Tilda Swinton also makes an appearance in the movie as Thora and Thessaly Thacker, twin gossip columnists.
Audiences can also look forward to seeing Jonah Hill as Joseph Silverman, a sort of fall guy should any of Capitol Pictures’ stars find themselves in a jam.
The script is packed with several funny moments that keep the audience laughing the whole way through.
“Hail, Caesar!” is something totally fresh from the collective Coen imagination, but at the same time holds the eccentricity that is always prevalent in their work. The plot is completely outlandish, and yet makes perfect sense.
There are some questions the movie brings up that don’t get answered. However, it seems appropriate that this is the case since bizarre situations such as the ones in “Hail, Caesar!” often do not get every question answered. What matters is that the most important ones are.
@kelseighingram
