O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Aroview: The Coen Brothers' return to their best form with what they neatly describe as the Rolls-Royce of 'hayseed' movies (by which they mean a hillbilly story on a Beverly Hills budget).

Stealing a plot from Homer's 'Odyssey', George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson play fugitives from a chain gang who have 'mythic' encounters with various folk en route to radio stardom in depression-era Mississippi. The dialogue is crammed with intelligent wit and references, the characters are charming and the bluegrass music is a treat, but this time the whimsical excess is underpinned with deep(ish) meaning and seriously breathtaking photography (courtesy of Roger Deakins).

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