A Serious Man - Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - 2009

In any other hands, the story of a man watching in horror as his life falls apart around him whilst he fails to do anything about it would probably be a serious and ultra-depressing drama. Seen through the eyes of the Coen brothers however, A Serious Man is a darkly funny black comedy which stands as a loving tribute to a sixties Jewish community whilst at the same time mischievously sending it up. Interestingly for the first time the Coens have cast a group of unknowns so without a Clooney or a Turturro to add unnecessary star wattage, the film is actually one of the most believable in the Coen canon. Leading man Michael Stuhlbarg is a sweet, if slightly effeminate leading man who, whilst crucially never losing sympathy is someone whose misery we somehow feel justified in laughing at. As ever with a Coen film though it’s the supporting players who are the real joy; from a pot-smoking sexpot neighbour to Fred Melamed's absurdly affectionate family friend who gives Stuhlbarg soothing hugs while stealing his wife, every part is miniature creation of comic genius. They might have abandoned their regular collaborators but on this evidence the Coens are riding as high as ever.