Breeze tells Fink: “ Right now the contents of your head are the property of Capitol Pictures.” That’s such a perfect line in regards to how writers are treated, like a mill pumping out tangible product into the boss’ hands. Lipnick information, lest he find himself out of work. One of my favourite scenes comes when Barton goes to see Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner) at his sprawling mansion – Lou Breeze (Jon Polito) tries to pressure Barton into giving Mr. There are a few really great moments where satire is all but bursting right through the screen. So part of Barton’s entire journey is almost futile, or existentially frustrating, as it’s doomed from the start. Moving from Broadway to Hollywood is essentially going bigger, rather than smaller. He is not a common man, definitely not after accepting a job in Hollywood writing motion pictures it’s almost ironic then how he’s living in a shitty hotel, slumming it and trying to find that perspective when just working for a studio has already ensured he’s no longer common. Just as Plato saw art as an imitation already twice removed, Barton will never be able to just get into that perspective of the common man. No matter how close to the common you get, soon as words hit the page and they’re only a representation of life then you’re always creating something, fictionalizing, you’re moving away from the truth. However, what Barton doesn’t face is the fact that, no matter how real your fiction gets it is always fiction. His major personal crisis has to do with that perceived need, or at least his want, to be in the realm of the common man. Mainly, the Coens place us in the headspace of Barton, in the realm of “ the life of the mind” as Charlie (John Goodman) calls it. Fiction is a prominent part of the entire film. Nevertheless, this is an underrated film in general, as well as in the Coen Brothers’ overall filmography. And perhaps part of that speaks to certain elements within the film itself. Sure, this movie didn’t do well at the box office, but when has that ever mattered? Money isn’t quality. Doesn’t hurt there are plenty of references to real life figures that serve as inspiration for Fink and others, including famous Southerner William Faulkner (my favourite author) and playwright Clifford Odets. Fink (John Turturro) we experience his combative writer’s block from one scene to the next, as Hollywood nearly eats him alive. Ultimately, this movie concerns the life of a writer, and through a journey of magnificent hyperbole the eponymous Mr. I’m always a sucker for literature or film about the art of writing, about the people that write the stories, so on. An immediate aspect I love about this movie is the fact these writers (and good directors as this pair are they are most amazing in their abilities as writers) wrote a story about a writer. I mean, who else would’ve done stories like The Big Lebowski or Fargo before these guys came along? Or told the stories of of movies such as Blood Simple., Raising Arizona, Miller’s Crossing? Rather the Coens have a certain way of looking at the world, and so it’s only natural this bleeds into their work. Not for any controversy, nothing like that. Then there’s the fact they’re usually tackling stories many others wouldn’t go near. Even in their more recent films in the past decade from No Country for Old Men to their latest Hail, Caesar! they somehow manage to keep their weird little hearts alive, no matter what the material. Particularly for the fact they make these elaborate pictures, one might even call them extravagant, yet still they retain their uniquely creative independent spirit. ★★★★★ The Coen Brothers are impressive for many reasons. 20th Century Fox/Circle Films/Working Title Films. Starring John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, John Mahoney, Jon Polito, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi, Richard Portnow, & Christopher Murney.
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