The latest from the Coen Brothers is a playful tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood. The central character is a studio exec (Josh Brolin), who deals with his stars, directors and productions in one busy day. We also get treated to some delightful re-creations of classic styles (a Biblical epic, a Western, a Kelly-esque dance romp, an Esther Williams production number). The star-loaded cast (Clooney, Tatum, Johansson) gets to create some delightful types (Alden Ehrenreich is especially enjoyable as a sincere, simple cowboy). So far, sounds like lots of fun. Where it stumbles is tying it all together. The individual encounters are lively and peppered with the Coen’s cracked sense of humor. But the whole narrative doesn’t seam together smoothly and there’s more energy than laffs. Still, a lesser film by the Brothers is still fun.
(3.5 / 5)