Hail, Caesar! premiers in movie theaters everywhere now! But, it had already been previewed to critics and celebrities.
Before we dive into the reviews, let’s take a look at the movie. Hail, Caesar! Is directed by the Coen brothers and stars A-List celebrities such as; George Clooney, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, and Channing Tatum—and that’s just to name a few. Josh Brolin stars as Eddie Mannix, a Hollywood version of Oliva Pope, who is working for the production of the movie Hail Caesar, in the 1950’s. The movie within the movie stars Baird Whitlock (played by George Clooney), but within a blink of an eye Whitlock is kidnapped and held for ransom. And being the “fixer” that he is, Mannix is in charge of fixing the problem—aka finding Whitlock and bringing him safely back to the production.
If the plot preview and the trailer is not enough to sell you on watching this film, hopefully the reviews will. The reviews include everything from praising the way the Coen brothers reconstructed and portrayed the 1950’s to finding the hidden charm in the eccentric comedy. Instead of raving on about this film, continue below to check out some of the reviews, directly from the critics!
Manohla Dargis from The New York Times stated, “If this were anyone other than the Coens you might think that success and a couple of Oscars had mellowed them. Not likely, “Hail, Caesar!” is one of those diversions that they turn out in between masterworks and duds…In its shape, “Hail, Caesar!” at times brings to mind one of those old plot-free film revues that featured a grab bag of studio talent performing in a strung-together musical, comic, and dramatic scenes.” Dargis ends the review by stating, “As it turns out, everyone has something to peddle— a talent, an angle, a god – and, truly, that’s entertainment.”
Justin Chang from Variety gave Hail, Caesar! the most praise with, “This gorgeously crafted romp through the backlots and Malibu enclaves of Hollywood’s Golden Age tosses off plenty of eccentric comedy and musical razzle-dazzle before taking on richer, more ruminative dimensions, ultimately landing on the funny-sad question of whether life is but a dream factory. Although it boasts enough marquee names and splashy, crowd-pleasing angles to deliver good returns for Universal, this is as strange and singular an offering as anything the Coens have ever done, and as such its more thoughtful, elusive undertones could stand in the way of broader public acceptance.”
Finally, even though the Hollywood Reporter’s Todd McCarthy was a tad harsher on the comedy antics of Hail, Caesar! than the other critics he was impressed by the production stating, “As always with the Coens, the film looks impeccable. Employing several Hollywood backlots to evoke the moment when the Old Hollywood was just beginning to show its age, the directors and their ace team of production designer Jess Gonchor, cinematographer Roger Deakins, and costume designer Mary Zophres show their customary flair and have fun decking out the varied assortment of films being shot by Capitol at a given moment.”
Hail, Caesar! is rated PG-13 and is currently showing in theaters everywhere!
