This is a review of the movie A Serious Man.
I am a sucker for period pieces from bygone eras. You throw me a movie that is true to a certain period and I can enjoy it. This is what drew me to A Serious Man. It seemed to nail the essence of late 60s suburbia. As I began watching the movie I became more involved with the main character, Larry Gopnik. Larry’s life is full of challenges. Living in the Jewish faith in a Jewish family, he has a series of challenges both real and imagined.
What I like about the movie:
- The acting. It was superb. Fantastic. Thoughtful. Attention keeping. The main lead, Michael Stuhlbarg, is utterly overwhelming.
- Decorating and set design. It felt like you walked back into the late 60s, early 70s. Oh, look, rabbit ears.
- Jewish faith. I am not Jewish, but I am aware of various aspects of Jewish life. This movie did a good job pulling together the main traits.
What I didn’t like about the movie:
- Pacing. Some of the scenes seem to drag on for way too long.
- The ending. I’ll admit, I am the first person to demand a movie wrap up loose ends. I’m ok with some loose ends, but not the entire movie. This movie features a number of cliffhangers, which would be awesome for an action movie. Not so much for a black comedy drama.
Looking for a good movie from the 1960s Jewish life? You got it here. If you demand to have a movie wrap up lose ends, the journey isn’t worth the ride.