Those who love the 'Golden Years of Hollywood' are going to love this movie

Rating: 8/10 (27 February 2016)

Joel and Ethan Coen have made both a reverent and irreverent look at the Hollywood Studios in the 50's, an era that was going through a huge change for the film industry. Those who love the 'Golden years of Hollywood' are going to LOVE this film, others are going to be bored! The Hollywood system at the time would go to any lengths to protect their stars, and the hypocrisy within that system is laid bare in this movie. There are references to the Hollywood 10, characters who have similarities to Esther Williams, Loretta Young, Gene Kelly and Hedda Hopper; and even the film Ben Hur (the title of the movie refers to a film they are making called 'Hail Caesar – A Tale of the Christ'!). There is an hilarious scene where Channing Tatum (playing a Gene Kelly character) and a chorus of sailors sing and dance to a musical number about missing their 'dames', despite the fact the men are joyously camping it up and dancing with their male companions. It is not a laugh out loud movie but one I was grinning from ear to ear throughout!