Hail, Caesar! (2016)
“Squint against the grandeur!” – Director.
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Written by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand
The much-celebrated Coen brothers return, accompanied by another all-star ensemble cast (seriously, look at that collection of talent!) and some beautiful production design, to dive into the absurdity of 1950s Hollywood in Hail, Caesar!. Filled with self-deprecating humour and a host of colourful La La Land stereotypes, the movie is definitely amusing, but feels more like a series of Saturday Night Live sketches than a cohesive movie.
The film follows Ed Mannix (Brolin), the head of physical production at a Hollywood Studio in 1951. Ed must balance the talent, the directors, the gossip columnists, and any scandals that arise. However, his day gets much more complex when big star Baird Whitlock (Clooney) is kidnapped by communists.
At it’s heart, Hail, Caesar! is a satirical caricature of the Hollywood Studio System, emphasising the now-ridiculous nature of the 1950s ‘epics’, the power that the studios had at that time, and the historical context for the time – with Hollywood catering to the masses by providing distracting and fantastical escapes from the fear of the Cold War and communism.
The Coen Brothers, as always, are able to deliver such serious subject matter in an amusing package, with a script that emphasises the plethora of Hollywood stereotypes perfectly. The overbearing studio head, the actor with more talent than brains, the sensationalist gossip columnist, the nervous secretary, the creatively stifled director – they’re all just conduits for more laughs as the Co-Bros underline the absurdity of the Hollywood Studio System. Actors have no control over their own affairs, and are either rebranded, hidden or dismissed when they are no longer considered profitable. This is another clever switcheroo the Coen Brothers pull, with the communists (in the 50s considered the enemy) sort of being painted as the ‘good guys,’ fighting against the corrupt and oppressive capitalist studios.
Similar to other Hollywood tributes like La La Land and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, there are plenty of scenes with ‘fake movies’ being filmed within this movie. The production design is outstanding, with some beautiful sets and costuming, but to be honest these scenes can drag a little bit at times. The Coen’s mitigate this a lot with the aforementioned humour, but the movie still feels a little bit like a skit show at times, with a collection of individual scenes that could be viewed in isolation. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad film, but you will have to be in the right mood to watch this.
A quirky film that will have to be viewed with a bit of context (if you don’t really understand Hollywood History you’ll be a bit muddled), Hail, Caesar! is a beautiful looking film with expert direction and a talented cast. Not the Coen’s best, and a bit of an acquired taste, but those who love some quirky satire will enjoy this.
Rating: 6.5/10
Youtube Video Recap: