Thursday, December 24, 2009

a serious man


Moira, Sheila and I decided on some pre-Christmas cinema therapy at the Watershed last night. The Coen brothers’ film “A Serious Man” is set in 1967 (I’m not quite sure of the significance of this date – except perhaps it marked the early teenage years of the Coen brothers, growing up in the American midwest - but, for what it’s worth, it was also the year I started at uni!). It dips into the life of a Jewish professor whose life seems to be slowly collapsing around him – his wife wants to leave him for another man; his children are an absolute pain; his job is under threat; and his brother is useless and sponging. He seeks the help of three Rabbis, but no one can give him the answer he’s searching for. I know I’d need to watch it a number of times before I begin to understand even half the Jewish references, but hey!
It’s an uncomfortable, sad and yet, at times, hilarious film.
PS: somewhat pathetically, I’ve just checked how many times I went to the cinema this year and the answer is 21 (which represents a new personal best!).

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