A Serious Man: Not a Mensch in sight
source: http://web.me.com/writa1/tvsoundoff/DVD_Reviews/Entries/2010/2/10_Entry_1.html
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One of my earliest introductions to filmsoundoff.com was a two-headed review of “A Serious Man.” The first reflection on the film was laudatory; the other bemoaned what it considered the film’s dearth of sympathetic characters. (See both reviews, laudatory and not so much.)
This was problematic it seemed, because the film featured almost exclusively Jews. Seeing as the Coen Brothers, who wrote and directed the picture, are themselves sons of Abraham (even if from the exotic midwest branch of the tribe), I chalked this up as a bit of “don’t air your dirty schmata in public” syndrome.
Seeing now the just-released dvd of the film, I am at a bit of a loss as to what might be deemed derogatory about the representations of this select swath of personae. Absolutely, there is no one here that is lovable. On view is a fair amount of callousness, insensitivity, a case of infidelity, and -- God forbid -- some pot smoking in the synagogue men’s room.
This was problematic it seemed, because the film featured almost exclusively Jews. Seeing as the Coen Brothers, who wrote and directed the picture, are themselves sons of Abraham (even if from the exotic midwest branch of the tribe), I chalked this up as a bit of “don’t air your dirty schmata in public” syndrome.
Seeing now the just-released dvd of the film, I am at a bit of a loss as to what might be deemed derogatory about the representations of this select swath of personae. Absolutely, there is no one here that is lovable. On view is a fair amount of callousness, insensitivity, a case of infidelity, and -- God forbid -- some pot smoking in the synagogue men’s room.
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