O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Name: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Music
Released: December 22, 2000
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 69
Cast: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson

2000

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 253 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 253 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: December 22, 2000 | TV-14

Starring: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson

Summary: A trio of escaped prisoners (Clooney, Nelson, Turturro) embarks on the adventure of a lifetime as they set out to pursue their freedom and the promise of sharing in the division of a fortune in buried treasure. (Touchstone Pictures)

Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Music

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Travers

It's a wild, whacked-out wonder. Coenheads rejoice. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

It's a new new thing, classic myth from both literature and the movies, commingled, set to great folk music, and untrammeled by any sense of predictability, urgency, realism or believability but hypnotic, graceful and seductive. Read full review

Steven Rea

Devilishly delightful. Read full review

Edward Guthmann

Joyously unhinged and outrageously inventive. Read full review

Mr. Showbiz Michael Atkinson

For all its originality, O Brother doesn't seem to have a point, or enough spark to distract us from the lack thereof. Read full review

Jack Mathews

Not quite as funny as it wants to be. Mostly, it's just silly. But as always, the Coens are entertaining themselves first.and their quirky individuality has served them and their fans well so far. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Why would filmmakers with this much talent work this hard to thumb their noses at everything they put on screen? Read full review

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User Reviews

PaperThing

Jun 28, 2012

" "O Brother" is less a nostalgic screwball comedy than a highly contrived satire which emphasises the cruelty and absurdity of human existence. "

... So what's the problem? Even if you are a fan of slow paced, existential cinema - and generally avoid screwball comedies - this is worth" "O Brother" is less a nostalgic screwball comedy than a highly contrived satire which emphasises the cruelty and absurdity of human existence. "

... So what's the problem?

Even if you are a fan of slow paced, existential cinema - and generally avoid screwball comedies - this is worth a watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

datoneguy246

May 13, 2021

This movie is so interesting to watch. There are so many different themes and small details that make this movie unique and cleverly written. On top of that, the acting is great, the jokes are funny, and the movie never stops being engaging. This film deserves nothing short of a 10/10.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JordanP

Apr 16, 2011

This may be the only movie that has ever left me seriously tempted to leave the cinema and immediately join the queue for the next show. Structurally, it is a 'road movie', though it borrows the episodic encounters with larger-than-life characters from Homer's Odyssey (including sirens and aThis may be the only movie that has ever left me seriously tempted to leave the cinema and immediately join the queue for the next show. Structurally, it is a 'road movie', though it borrows the episodic encounters with larger-than-life characters from Homer's Odyssey (including sirens and a cyclops!). But the artful combination of its photography and music with delightful story and characters makes this one of most bewitching and beautiful road movies ever made.

The critics seem to find it shallow, though I struggle to understand why. In addition to being genuinely funny and centred upon rich characters, the story includes a fair weight of political satire and a sprinkling of the Coens' strange metaphysical fascinations, with the Devil making his own cameo in the form of a lawman. If this is too shallow, I wonder what comedies the critics have been watching that are so deep?

If people are confusing depth for emotionalism, perhaps they should stick to rewatching the English Patient.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

drlowdon

Jun 1, 2022

Three convicts escape from a chain gang and set out to retrieve a buried treasure before the area is flooded to make a lake. Along the way they’ll run into a few complications. O Brother, Where Art Thou? doesn’t quite come together narratively as well as the Coen Brothers best movies,Three convicts escape from a chain gang and set out to retrieve a buried treasure before the area is flooded to make a lake. Along the way they’ll run into a few complications. O Brother, Where Art Thou? doesn’t quite come together narratively as well as the Coen Brothers best movies, but the film-makers quirky style and dark sense of humour are on full display in this delightfully loopy piece of cinema.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ahmedaiman999

Mar 8, 2018

It has one of the best movie soundtracks ever, beautiful cinematography, funny jokes, compelling lead characters and strong performances,,,,,,, Should I really care too much about its flaws?!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NickTheCritick

Nov 2, 2021

It is the younger, smaller brother of "Inside Llewyn Davis" but it's not nearly as good as ILD was. It's a nice comic odissey that results in a barely watchable movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

christopher

May 30, 2009

"O Brother" is less a nostalgic screwball comedy than a highly contrived satire which emphasises the cruelty and absurdity of human existence. One may find the wanton slaughter of cows, superficially sexualized Sirens, satanic black side kick, mocked/idealized villains, commercial "O Brother" is less a nostalgic screwball comedy than a highly contrived satire which emphasises the cruelty and absurdity of human existence. One may find the wanton slaughter of cows, superficially sexualized Sirens, satanic black side kick, mocked/idealized villains, commercial contemporary take on folk music, incidental ties to Greek tragedy, and general aimlessness (tied together with a cute little literal string) to be light-hearted fun, but to see it as repugnant is an equally appropriate reaction. This is a story of selfishness and stupidity signifying nothing. The characters live in a beautiful world and have zero appreciation for it. This is exemplified by the slick, soulless direction and obvious, ugly digitized cinematography. "O Brother" can be called nihilistic and smug with perfect reason because, for all it creativity and polish, it is an intentionally aloft meditation on negativity and cynicism. At least "Days of Heaven" seems to have some sense of appreciation for atmosphere and environment even as it utilizes Depression era elements. Nihilism can be overtly expressed or implied, and "O Brother" wears it less like a badge than like a favorite pair of dirty socks kept in some high drawer, right next to a baby skull paper weight for a pornographic magazine. Sometimes laughter is a sign of sickness. JAFO (just another ****ing opinion) for what it is worth. Cheers.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful

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20	#20 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
16	#16 Most Shared Movie of 2000