O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 149
Fresh: 115 | Rotten: 34
Though not as good as Coen brothers' classics such as Blood Simple, the delightfully loopy O Brother, Where Art Thou? is still a lot of fun.
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 38
Fresh: 26 | Rotten: 12
Though not as good as Coen brothers' classics such as Blood Simple, the delightfully loopy O Brother, Where Art Thou? is still a lot of fun.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 251,928
Movie Info
The writing, directing, and producing team of Joel Coen and Ethan Coen created this picaresque comedy (inspired in part by Homer's The Odyssey) set in the Deep South during the Depression. Suave and fancy-talking Everett Ulysses McGill (George Clooney), dim-witted Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson), and easily-excitable Pete (John Turturro) are serving time together on a prison chain gang. Everett knows where $1.2 million is hidden that's theirs for the taking, and the three manage to escape; however, a
Watch It Now
Cast
-
George Clooney
Everett Ulysses McGi... -
John Turturro
Pete -
Tim Blake Nelson
Delmar -
Charles Durning
Pappy O'Daniel -
John Goodman
Big Dan Teague -
Michael Badalucco
George Nelson -
Holly Hunter
Penny -
Stephen Root
Radio Station Man -
Chris Thomas King
Tommy Johnson -
Wayne Duvall
Homer Stokes -
Daniel von Bargen
Sheriff Cooley -
J.R. Horne
Pappy's Staff -
Brian Reddy
Pappy's Staff -
Frank Collison
Wash Hogwallop -
Ray McKinnon
Vernon T. Waldrip -
Del Pentecost
Junior O'Daniel -
Musetta Vander
Siren -
-
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (151) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (115) | Rotten (34) | DVD (35)
After making what are still probably their two best features, the Coen brothers came up with their worst, a piece of pop nihilism.
Top CriticGreat dialogue, superb 'Scope camerawork from Roger Deakins, and a genuinely wondrous deus ex machina are among the delights.
The Coens' usual arch deliberateness isn't quite as deliberate, and there's an appealing shagginess to some of the episodes and performances.
The film is a mélange of so many clashing ideas, as well as a reference-tribute to so many moments in movie history.
It's a wild, whacked-out wonder.
Leaves a sour taste.
Well up to the brothers' usual high standards.
Everyone who has the capacity for abstract thought, raise your hands . . . and take this Coen brothers' journey.
Even with its mock-pretentious parallelism to The Odyssey...O Brother, Where Art Thou? refuses to take itself seriously, which is both its principal failing and its charm. [Blu-ray]
Teens might enjoy this offbeat Odyssey adaptation.
May not be the funniest or wackiest movie from Joel and Ethan Coen, but it is easily their most ambitious work to date.
This lightly engaging trifle could have been more fun with a greater helping of the Coens' antic spirit.
It has a remarkable (if playfully skewed) fidelity to the epic poem of mythical struggle, even if the filmmaking brother act never actually read Homer's work...
In its best moments (of which there are a few), O Brother, Where Art Thou? has a twang to it.
The Coens are like party acquaintances who keep changing the subject and then staring at you quizzically when you can't follow the thread, or when you stop wanting to follow it, but who then block all your exit routes from their obnoxious conversation.
The ferociously one-dimensional characters here make this muddy ramble more of a guilty pleasure than a success.
It's not up there with Lebowski, but its still a darn good tale.
The Coen's tale of three escaped convicts has more to do with Homer the Simpson than Homer the poet.
its tongue-in-cheek humor effortlessly gives way to poignant drama and period musical pieces throughout.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is amazing.
Watching Clooney, Turturro, and Nelson ham it up singing 'Man of Constant Sorrow' is one of this year's greatest big-screen delights.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the Being John Malkovich of the year 2000. The most remarkable thing about it is just how any sane studio executive agreed to back it.
It's an odd, charming movie, not for everyone, but definitely for Coen acolytes. A great adaptation. And buy the soundtrack.
As a big-budget film from two of our great contemporary social satirists, it falls short.
Audience Reviews for O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Movies Like O Brother, Where Art Thou?
-
- Homer Stokes: We're gonna take the broom of reform and sweep this state clean!
-
- Ulysses Everett McGill: I've seen it first!
-
- George Nelson: What are you lookin' at, Grandpa?
-
- Pappy O'Daniel: Thank God, your mama died givin' birth. If she'd have seen you, she'd have died of shame.
-
- Everett Ulysses McGill: Damn! We're in a tight spot!
-
- Wash Hogwallop: I slaughtered this horse last Tuesday. I'm afraid she's startin' to turn.
Discussion Forum
What's Hot On RT
New Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Naomi Watts is Princess Di
The Hangover 3, The Purge, and More
Trailer for a squirrely heist flick
See what's on TV tonight
Latest News on O Brother, Where Art Thou?
December 26, 2012:
Charles Durning: 1923-2012The prolific character actor, who once earned back-to-back supporting actor Oscar nominations, has...
November 7, 2007:
Total Recall: Welcome to Coen Brothers CountryBefore expanding wide on November 21, No Country for Old Men (90 percent) will play in select cities...
Fresh Links
Featured
Halloween Movies For Wimps
Scary movies too scary for you? Here are some alternatives for October 31st.
10 Best Superhero TV Shows
HitFix combs through TV history to compile a superpowered list.
Ridiculous Movie Mistakes
RollingStone proves even the best movies miss a details here and there.
Deadly Movie Kids
Moviefone lists 11 Movie Kids Who Could Kick Our Asses.
50 States, 50 Movies
For July 4th, TimeOut has compiled 50 state-specific movie choices.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Hangover Part III, The Purge, and More 11
- Primetime Preview: Beauty and the Beast, Sleepy Hollow and More 0
- NYFF: Joaquin Phoenix and James Gray talk The Immigrant 2
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Gravity Stuns with Record $55M Launch 79
- Primetime Preview: Witches of East End, Once Upon a Time and More 3
- Weekly Ketchup: Disney Plans Live Action Cruella de Vil Movie 37
- Primetime Preview: Last Man Standing, The Neighbors and More 5
Top Headlines
-
Fox Animated Series, ABC Comedies Tumble in Sunday Ratings
0
-
Bong Joon-ho Reportedly "Furious" About Snowpiercer Cuts
0
-
Record-Setting Number of Films Competing in Foreign-Language Oscar Race
0
-
Woody Allen Cancels Blue Jasmine's India Premiere
1
-
Lionsgate Wants Gary Ross and Jennifer Lawrence's Burial Rites
1
-
ABC Plans Kevin Hart-Inspired Series
0
-
The Shining's Danny Torrance Is All Grown Up
1
Foreign Titles
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Eine Mississippi-Odyssee (DE)
- O'Brother (FR)
