Barton Fink
If there is only one thing similar among the Coen Brothers' films, it's that for some odd reason, you can't watch it just one time. For me, I have to watch each of their films at least two times; once for the visual style, and the second for the story. Barton Fink is no exception to this rule. Actually, two of their films I have been able to get the story and visual style at the same time (Fargo and The Hudsucker Proxy). However, I've watched those films several times just for pure pleasure of watching them. The Hudsucker Proxy is possibly their most visually pleasing film with spectacular sets and wonderful camera angles. Fargo is their best overall yet, providing a good visual experience, but also providing a completely enthralling story with unique and creative characters.
Barton Fink, which won three awards at the Cannes Film Festival (the Palme d'Or, Best Director, and Best Actor), is a very complex film which can have many different meanings. However, after watching it the second time, I was able to pull out the main message behind the text and images. I will not reveal the meaning because you will have to try and figure it out for yourselves. However, this is not a film entirely about a writer with a severe case of writer's block (and I know how he felt staring at that piece of paper). It has a much more deeper meaning that makes this film more powerful than most films produced. A hint: Remember the period that this film is taking place during, and you may find the major meaning of the film. Only Joel and Ethan Coen could produce a film with as much visual style and deep meaning as this. In my opinion, the Coens are two of the best filmmakers in Hollywood, and they are highly underrated.
Barton Fink opens with an image that I can identify with, as can anyone who has ever been in theater. It shows a rope being pulled and as the camera zooms down with the rope, we see a stage hand pulling the rope. A play is being put on, and the writer is standing just off-stage. His name is Barton Fink (John Turturro). This play is a huge hit and he gets hired to write for the pictures in Hollywood. He flies to Hollywood, but in order not to get caught up in the glamour, he rents a room at a large and dark hotel with wallpaper that peels off the wall. There are many people staying at this hotel, but we only see three different people: the front desk manager (Steve Buscemi), the elevator operator (Anthony Gordon), and Fink's neighbor, Charlie Meadows (John Goodman). Meadows is an overweight insurance salesman, but he has a spunky attitude which makes Fink like him. Meadows' becomes Fink's only friend in L.A. because Charlie actually talks to him.
The next day, Fink arrives at the studio and he is assigned to write a wrestling picture. Considering he doesn't know how to write one, he gets an extreme case of writer's block. He writes one paragraph and then stops. He begins to see this paragraph everywhere, including the Bible. He decides to ask other writers about it, and he runs into Audrey Taylor (Judy Davis) and they form an instant bond. From here, the plot just thickens and gets more complex every minute until it climaxes to a satirical conclusion. There is one thing that I have noticed about the endings of the Coens' films: they all end appropriately and impressively. In fact, the only film that really seems to have an ending is their first one, Blood Simple. All of the films center around one awkward character and it doesn't come to a direct conclusion. It's almost like a part of their lives is shown, while most of the films made these days always have a specific ending.
It is almost impossible to not compare this film with other Coen Brothers' films. However, all of their films are different and yet they are all similar. This paradox makes the Coens two of the best filmmakers in Hollywood. It seems that every director has his or her own style and they never change which gets boring. The Coens change everytime and it makes it very fun to watch. For example, this film is much different from Miller's Crossing, its predecessor. However, both are unique and original, and Barton Fink is one of their best films yet. The surrealism of their scenes are too magnificently filmed to be forgotten. And that is what the Coens are known for. No matter what film you see of theirs, you will always remember one particular thing about it. In Fargo, it is the woodchipper. In Blood Simple, it is the bullet holes in the wall. In The Hudsucker Proxy, it is the long fall down the Hudsucker Industries building. In Barton Fink, it is the scene with John Goodman coming back from New York.
And of course, no film could be good without good actors. Barton Fink has many good performances, but two in particular stick out. John Turturro's portrayal of Fink is perfect and the subtle and quiet performance is wonderful. His performance deserved the award it got. John Goodman, on the other hand, gives the other scene-stealing performance. When he is on the scene, especially with Turturro, the film is at its best. Goodman gives a remarkably funny and witty performance, which shows that the common man isn't so common as at first thought. Judy Davis gives a good performance as W.P. Mayhew's personal secretary, although she is shadowed by the two leads. Another actor who sticks out is Michael Lerner who earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the studio director. Jon Paulito and Steve Buscemi both gives fantastic supporting roles, especially Paulito who provides several laughs of the film.
Barton Fink is rated R. There is some semi-shocking violence (semi because it is done in a comical way), language, a nude picture of a girl, and the entire mood of the film is dark. Since the Cannes Jury normally distributes the awards for films evenly, the surprising three awards this film got would mean that the film is one of the best ever produced. In my opinion, it deserves this title, although I don't think it is one of the best ever. It is extremely well done, and perhaps the reason that it earned this many awards is because it hit home in France more than it does here in the United States. Perhaps they identified with the film more than anyone else, and this created the love for the film. Still, I highly recommend this film, especially if you want a good laugh.