Hail, Caesar! is a 2016 Coen Brothers film, set in golden-age Hollywood (ca. 1950). This comedy follows a studio "fixer," Eddie Mannix, as he works to cover up or fix the problems of several studio stars, all as he mulls a lucrative job offer in a different industry and wrestles with his own sins. The abduction of one star takes center stage as Mannix tries to get him back before gossip columnists catch wind, and we get to see several classic genres of film in production (a biblical epic, water dancing movie, formal drama, and musical number) along the way.
I have mixed feelings about this film, in part because I'm not sure what it's trying to be. It's part screwball comedy, nostalgic memoir, mystery, social commentary, and analysis on faith and what drives us. It left me thinking, which is a good thing, but I'm not sure it provided any answers. Ultimately, I enjoyed the film, though it won't see frequent play in my home. I enjoyed the glimpse back on the Hollywood of 70 years ago, the good production, and the offbeat humor. Perhaps the critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes says it best:
Packed with period detail and perfectly cast, Hail, Caesar! finds the Coen brothers delivering an agreeably lightweight love letter to post-war Hollywood.Rating: B
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