Hail Caesar * * * * *

Hail Caesar, and Hail the Coen Brothers, for once again they have delivered unto us a wonderful night at the movies!

1950’s Hollywood provides a fertile ground and this film makes full use of it, even perfectly recreating scenes which would have been typical of the films of that era, from Sword and Sandal epics, to Westerns, to Musicals to Costume Dramas and those aqua dance films that were strangely popular.  These fabulous re-creations and insight as to how they were filmed, are worth the price of admission alone.

Although George Clooney has a leading role as a clunky movie star (he's very good), he’s not actually what the story is about. It's about Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) who has the unfortunate role of being head of the studio; which sounds glamorous but it soon becomes obvious he has a lot of babysitting to do. Nearly all the actors who work for Capital Studios are indulged idiots, resulting in them having inappropriate pregnancies, a virtual inability to act, and getting kidnapped. On top of that Mannix has to deal with the gossip columnists - two actually, twin sisters who are also rivals.

There is a very funny subplot or two: one is Lockheed airplanes trying to poach Eddie as their new manager, and the other is a wonderful send up of the communist fear that was starting to grip Hollywood at that time. In this film, the communists are real and very funny.

The recreation of the era is flawless and sensational to look at.

This is a funny, colourful, wonderful film full of twists and surprises: right up there with the best of The Coen Brothers.
(5)