offbeat and intriguing

Rating: 7/10 (13 August 2016)

This is certainly one very oddball movie but thoroughly intriguing. One can understand the many viewers who basically couldn't figure out what the whole point was. Basically, this is a paean to movie-making, which is not just a craft, but a business which sometimes necessitates a lot of shady doings to keep things on track. I did not know that the movie was based on the experiences of an actual person. It is interesting that the character of Mannix is a sympathetic one. Despite all his questionable dealings he clearly is motivated by his desire to see things get done, and it is interesting that he is portrayed as a man of sincere faith. The analogies to the religious themes of the subject of the current production, "Hail Caesar" is obvious. It is also noteworthy that the cowboy actor, so bumbling on the set, turns out to be one of the most likable characters, and actually the "hero." The allusions to so many older movies are fun for cinematophiles to keep track of, and all the production numbers are clearly a celebration of movie-making. It is also so very refreshing to see the Communist penetration of Hollywood portrayed as not just a joke but an actual phenomenon, right down to the never-named but clearly recognizable Dalton Trumbo. One senses that this a very personal movie for the Coen brothers, and we sympathize with Mannix when he turns down the job offer and sticks with the frustrating job he clearly loves.