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A Serious Man

Release Date 20 Nov 2009 TBA

User rating
Currently 3/5 Stars.

Critic rating

93% of raters want to see this movie

Certificate: 15

Genre:

"A Serious Man" is the story of an ordinary man's search for clarity in a universe where Jefferson Airplane is on the radio and "F-Troop" is on TV. It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife Judith that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous colleagues, Sy Ableman, who seems to her a more substantial person than the feckless Larry. Larry's unemployable brother Arthur is sleeping on the couch, his son Danny is a discipline problem and a shirker at Hebrew school, and his daughter Sarah is filching money from his wallet in order to save up for a nose job. While his wife and Sy Ableman blithely make new domestic arrangements, and his brother becomes more and more of a burden, an anonymous hostile letter-writer is trying to sabotage Larry's chances for tenure at the university. Also, a graduate student seems to be trying to bribe him for a passing grade while at the same time threatening to sue him for defamation. Plus, the beautiful woman next door torments him by sunbathing nude. Struggling for equilibrium, Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis. Can anyone help him cope with his afflictions and become a righteous person -- a mensch -- a serious man?

Writers:
Joel Coen | Ethan Coen

Producers:
Ethan Coen | Joel Coen

Directors:
Joel Coen | Ethan Coen

Movies.ie Critic Review

Our critics review will be added soon.

Avg User rating
Currently 3/5 Stars.

User Reviews

- Currently 3/5 Stars.
mart

Joel and Ethan Coen love to play God; they put their characters through hell, torturing them endlessly and treating them with disdain before finally giving them peace (usually through death, madness or some form of imprisonment).
- Currently 2/5 Stars.
seamyfox

This did not entertain me
- Currently 2/5 Stars.
JennyBurke101

Seriously I really like the Coen Brothers but my God this was boring ...A man actually fell asleep in the cinema ...hand on heart I am not joking! Its terrible go rent Fargo its a MILLION times better!
- Currently 4/5 Stars.
dex381
- Currently 3/5 Stars.
brogen
- Currently 3/5 Stars.
peteclarke
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
michaela

Another brilliant comedy from the Coen Brothers with a surprising twist.
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
ssconnolly

I really wasn't sure what to expect from A Serious Man going in. It was constantly described as a very Jewish and personal film from The Coen Brothers so I was unsure what I was going to see. When they say it was their most personal film to date they mean in the setting and not the story. The story is not personal, it is as fictional and as brilliant as the Coens' past works. Basically the story is about how bad things happen to good people for no reason. Larry Gopnik's life is falling apart and no one will help him through it. Things are getting worse and no one gives him an answer. Then just as things seem to be looking up The Coen Brothers remember who they are and things get even worse. A Serious Man is one of my favourite films of the year. I love the Coen Brothers and after their poor Burn After Reading they have gone right back to form with one of their best films. If you've seen Barton Fink then it is very much so that kind of Coen film. It is very funny but yet horribly tragic. As this stage I truly believe that the Coen Brothers don't actually need a story anymore because their characters are just so brilliant and unique. Every single character is stunningly new and I loved them all. It was not at all as Jewish as I expected and it a lot better. One of the films of the year and definitely worth the watch. Great film.
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
beansy
- Currently 3/5 Stars.
Cerr
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
Scannan

Emotionally powerful and exceptional storytelling from the brothers Coen.
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
andrewire

Very dark and funny, a little bit too mean with the main character but it doesn't do anything bad to what the filmmakers are trying to say. The cast did a wonderful job, especially Michael Stuhlbarg who carries the movie from start to finish. A must see, but not for everyone.
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
ste_

A Great movie! The Coens tell the story of an ordinary joe who’s life seems to take rollercoaster ride. The main message from this (for me) is that life is not just. The film is full of tales about the rules we follow and the notion that if we follow all of these rules life will turn out ok, not so. This is the Coens near their best again,(burn after reading?) giving us mountains to think about but at no point telling us what to think. 100 people could go and see this film and all come away from it with a different message, and probably all of them valid. Oh yeah and it’s as funny as hell too. One of the films of the year, a must see!!
- Currently 2/5 Stars.
vu1999uk

While I usually like anything from the Coens, this just failed to click with me. A few laughs aside, there is just not enough here to entertain. Disappointing.
- Currently 5/5 Stars.
hitchy1

i really want to see this ,movie but unfortunitly the powers that be wont give it a public release shame on you multiplex cinema instead you prefer to show garbage like twilight shit full ass