Hail, Caesar!

Compared to the Coen brothers' best work, Hail, Caesar! is—despite visual flamboyance—a lesser effort. Both an elaborate spoof of and loving tribute to the Hollywood movies of the early 1950s, the uneven film features some extraordinary high points, a few low ones, and lots of middling material, although fans of the Coens will enjoy the ride. Josh Brolin stars as studio executive Eddie Mannix, who is faced with a series of crises just when he's considering leaving the business for a more lucrative career. One problem centers on an unmarried but pregnant Esther Williams-type star (Scarlett Johansson), while another involves an elegant drawing-room drama whose director (Ralph Fiennes) must accept as his leading man an amiable but linguistically-challenged cowboy (Alden Ehrenreich). But the biggest issue is the kidnapping of the leading man (George Clooney) for an expensive biblical epic by a cabal of unhappy Communist screenwriters. Mannix has to deal with all of this with the help of a lawyer (Jonah Hill), while fending off twin gossip columnists (both played by Tilda Swinton), and overseeing a musical that showcases a handsome Gene Kelly-type (Channing Tatum). The set-pieces—big production numbers with Johansson and Tatum—are delicious, and a scene in which Fiennes tries to rehearse Ehrenreich in how to deliver a line is hilarious. But the kidnapping plot simply fizzles, and Clooney's attempts to punch it up seem desperate. More fitfully engaging than triumphant, Hail Caesar! nonetheless delivers sporadic amusement and a few absolutely spectacular sequences, making it a likable love letter to a bygone Hollywood age. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “The Stars Align” (12 min.), “An Era of Glamour” (7 min.), “Magic of a Bygone Era” (6 min.), and “Directing Hollywood” (4 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fun Coen brothers film.] (F. Swietek)