A somewhat lazy theory holds the Coen Bros canon rhymes a b a b, a being “deep and important” works, b being “minor entertainment” pieces. The MacMahonian holds depth is in the soul of the viewer as beauty in the eye of the beholder. But admits that Hail Caesar half validates that theory.
Hail Caesar is the 18th feature film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, perennial MacMahonian soul brothers whose take on Cinema, America and whatever never ceases to seduce us, admittedly sometimes more than others.
It tells the story of a variety of 50s Hollywood stereotypes, inter alia “fixer” Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) trying to solve (by paying the ransom) the kidnapping of film star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney, abducted during the shooting of a Biblical epic, and throughout in Roman centurion gear) by a group of disgruntled Hollywood writers cum witch hunt era fellow travellers, coached by none other than a anachronistically avuncular Herbert Marcuse. Lots of complications antecede and ensue, but not necessarily related to the main plot, admitting there's one, or to be taken more or less seriously than said.
Admittedly, Hail Caesar is a comparatively slight effort (come to think of it, the last great Coen, True Grit, was released 6 years ago) covering familiar territory in familiar style. We've seen it before and we've seen it better, mostly. But, and aside for The MacMahonians conspicuous soft spot for Hollywood self-reference, dating back at least to Singin' in the Rain (Donen/Kelly 1952, to which Hail Caesar bears more than passing resemblance), there's a lot to appreciate in this movie, namely: (1) self indulgent histrionics, from Clooney's Whitlock to Scarlett Johannsson's Esther Williams proxy DeeAnna Moran; (2) the best ever Busby Berkeley pastiche, including the Donen ones, and using nothing more than two coloured swimsuits as FX device, and one of the best Michael Kidd ones, with hilarious gay sailor subtext, and finally (3) a few seminal Coen dialogue scenes, namely, (i) Mannix enquiring on the appropriateness of a Jesus Christ biographical script to a group consisting of Catholic and Orthodox priests, a Rabbi and a Protestant pastor, and (ii) the diction duel (Singin' in the Rain again) between director Lawrence Laurentz' (Ralph Fiennes) Etonian English and singing Western film star Hobie Doyle's (Alden Ehrenreich) Texan drawl.
Characteristically, Hail Caesar!´s critical reception was no so much mixed as polemic, ranging from the encomiastic to the acidly dismissive, although mostly favourable. The MacMahonian holds with the latter, if more for the fun parts than for their sum.