Film four -- Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? -- Get Real

[jack]

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

The first time I saw this, it seems boring, confusing and pointless. Now I had a lot more sympathy with it.

I liked Everret (Clooney/Ulysses) a lot, his language, and his intellectual give it a go ness. Did I not like this a few years ago? I really can't remember.

As with many films, knowing where it's going can actually help; something unexpected or dragged out can be aggravating when you don't know it, but fits when you know how to take it.

Has anyone seen it who knows the Odyssey? It is supposed to be a homage of some sort, but I only know a bit about the original. The same sorts of things (a succession of bizarre encounters and delays) seem to happen to somewhat different characters for very different reasons; lots of the scenes felt tacked on, despite constituting most of the film -- does someone who's read the Odyssey feel differently? Do you get a connection between Everret and Odyssius or not?

Get Real

Has anyone else heard of this? It was incredibly sweet!

It's the story of a gay boy at school, but just works. I love *him*, he takes life with a cheeky intellectual smile, even as school life is a right pain, and lets his problems blind him to his friends; which lends him an occasional assurance no-one as hopeless as him should be allowed :)

It's *funny*, always from nothing more than a turn of phrase or expression, but they always fit perfectly, and however awkward the situation is never painful to watch, unlike so many personal comedies.

Comments

[uisgebeatha.livejournal.com]

There are bits of O Brother that are noticeably Odyssean- for instance, the sirens by the river, and John Goodman's hulking Cyclops character. But there are so many surreal bits in between that it almost becomes unrecognisable. On the whole, though, I enjoyed it. And the soundtrack is fantastic- go buy it! :)

[sunflowerinrain.livejournal.com]

I adored O Brother the first time - indeed it was this film that made me realise that George Clooney is not the smug boring prat he appeared to portray in every other part I'd seen.

I still love it. Must watch it again soon.

Very Odyssey.

[calamarain.livejournal.com]

I watched Get Real a while ago. It's a good film.