Revisiting O Brother, Where Art Thou?
I think we can all agree that there’s something uniquely, well, peculiar about the Coen brothers’ movies. And yet, Joel and Ethan Coen are considered two of the greatest writers and directors of American cinema -- and for good reason. Their films combine quirky and lovable characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and an intriguing aesthetic. O Brother, Where Art Thou? presents all of these and more. Still, our modern understanding of race and representation require us to examine it with a critical lens.
Inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey and set during the Great Depression, the film tells the story of a trio of runaway prisoners--Everett, Delmar, and Pete--who want to find a treasure deep in Mississippi while steering clear of the police. On their quest, they perform for a radio broadcaster who gives them some fast cash. Little do they know, their song becomes a big hit. When they arrive in a small town in Mississippi, they use the fame they had no clue they possessed to help oust a racist candidate for mayor.
Part of the fun of watching O Brother, Where Art Thou? now is that it features a young George Clooney in the main role of Everett. (Multiple friends of mine walked in while I was watching and said, “Wait… is that George Clooney???”) His dry delivery makes every line all the more hilarious. Plus, it’s exciting to see the early career milestones of such an iconic actor. Nevertheless, Clooney is far from the only star in this film. John Turturro’s stone-faced performance in the role of Pete and Tim Blake Nelson’s portrayal of a clueless Delmar induce just as many laughs.
Wrong. It is exactly this that O Brother, Where Art Thou? neglects to address. Just because a candidate for mayor has been taken down, doesn’t mean the institutions in his town will suddenly no longer be racist. It doesn’t mean equity and equality will be addressed. It also doesn’t mean the Soggy Bottom Boys are automatically heroes. Even in ousting the candidate for mayor, the trio was simply lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Thus, I leave O Brother, Where Art Thou? with mixed feelings. It has every element of an excellent film, and in many ways, it made statements about race that were not being made at the time of its release. For those reasons, it should be celebrated. Yet my ever-growing understanding of race and racism in 2021 forces me to recognize the ways in which it fell short. Films like O Brother, Where Art Thou? remind me of the continuing importance of accurate representation in film, and how we cannot shy away from authentically discussing racism, discrimination, and other important social issues.
Wrong. It is exactly this that O Brother, Where Art Thou? neglects to address. Just because a candidate for mayor has been taken down, doesn’t mean the institutions in his town will suddenly no longer be racist. It doesn’t mean equity and equality will be addressed. It also doesn’t mean the Soggy Bottom Boys are automatically heroes. Even in ousting the candidate for mayor, the trio was simply lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Thus, I leave O Brother, Where Art Thou? with mixed feelings. It has every element of an excellent film, and in many ways, it made statements about race that were not being made at the time of its release. For those reasons, it should be celebrated. Yet my ever-growing understanding of race and racism in 2021 forces me to recognize the ways in which it fell short. Films like O Brother, Where Art Thou? remind me of the continuing importance of accurate representation in film, and how we cannot shy away from authentically discussing racism, discrimination, and other important social issues.
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