O' Brother Where Art Thou?

Joel and Ethan Coen’s O’ Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) further reinforces their established stylistic leanings. It mirrors the juxtaposition between reality and tall-tale which is so flawlessly mastered in the Coen’s works.
Their setting is rooted deeply in preconceived notions of the Depression-era South.

The film is a Homeric journey through Mississippi during the Depression--or rather, through all of the images of that time and place that have been trickling down through pop culture ever since.

This becomes a backdrop for the journeys of Everett, Pete and Delmar. The setting always maintains its position in the forefront of the viewers’ conscience. This characteristic is otherwise seen in Raising Arizona, Fargo and No Country for Old Men. It is a unifying idea in a film which often leaves viewers numb with confusion.
It is especially important to note the role of bluegrass music in the film. It becomes more than a soundtrack. Music becomes part of the plot as it became part of living in that region of America. It is so heavily intertwined with the plot that it influences the characters and actions of the film.
The film’s colors are intentionally and purposefully altered form their reality. The alteration of coloration removes the film from a blatant reality; it becomes more of a tale, a piece of folklore.
Roger Ebert’s contention that the film left the viewer confused is odious.

All of these scenes are wonderful in their different ways, and yet I left the movie uncertain and unsatisfied. I saw it a second time, admired the same parts, left with the same feeling.

The film tells the story not from a myopic view, but as a segment of one group’s experience. Although this experience is stylized, the discombobulating method in which the story is told grounds the film in some semblance of reality. As the clip shows, the individual scenes add to little unless seen as part of a “segment”. It also reiterates the heavily stylized manner in which the film is produced.
While setting and music are controlled constants in O’ Brother Where Art Thou, the addition of hued color tones and seemingly unrelated events creates a film rich in details and intricacies.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20001229/REVIEWS/12290301/1023

Regionalism

The Coen Borthers, like no other director that I have seen, make use of the regional and cultural setting of their films. The plot of Fargo could have taken place in any number of locations, however the Minnesota setting accentuates this plot. As Minneapolis natives, they are quite aware of the cultural tendencies of their home state. This is most obviously apparent with the Scandinavian linguistics, but culture also propels many of the characters on a much more personal level. This is seen in characters such as Marge as well as the much more minor Mike Yanagita. No Country for Old Men would be unimaginable in any location outside of the Southwest. Texas drawls, desert motels and border drug runners make the film what it is. All of these markers of regionalism are highlighted by the cinematic style of the Coen Borthers.