Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
What the hell was that all about?
A Serious Man is a Coen Brothers movie. How could I go wrong? Not to mention it’s received all sorts of awards and critical acclaim, an 88% from Rotten Tomatoes. And it’s all about the tribe (my tribe, that is) back in the late 1960s.
The equations? Don't tune your laser on 'em.
The film centers on physics professor and shlimazel Larry Gopnik (pictured above), a sad sack who bears the brunt of one bad turn after another. His wife is leaving him, but not before draining the bank account and kicking him out of the house; his brother — who is working on some sort of Map of the Universe-as-betting system theory called the Mentaculus — has moved in with him, so when Larry departs to the Jolly Roger Motel, the brother goes with him; one of his students is trying alternately to bribe or sue his way to a better grade, and the Tenure Committee promises that they’ll try to ignore all those anonymous letters accusing Larry of moral turpitude.
Oh, and then there’s this shtetl-tale at the movie’s beginning, which as far as I can tell was tacked on to provide narrative drive to an otherwise drive-less film. No, really. I would have quit watching half way through if it hadn’t been for the little tale in the opening, because — well, you know, it’s the classic “mystery drive” — I had to know what connection this opening had with the rest of the movie. Turns out, none. According to the Wikipedia article, it’s meant to set the mood. To which I call bullshit, since in a movie, as with a short story, there should be no spare parts.
As Larry’s world crumbles, he visits one rabbi after another. Their vacuous platitudes, their complete and utter inability to provide Larry with anything approaching help or understanding, was the only thing which resonated with me in this whole film. Which is really saying something, considering I was a Jew growing up in much the same era as Larry’s son.
By the end, I’m lost. If I don’t understand this, not even a little, then no one can*. Once again I call bullshit. This is the emperor without his clothes. All those critics who raved, all those awards: these are people who do not want to admit they didn’t understand A Serious Man.
Karen saw a point to it, though. Her summary: “Jehovah’s a bastard.” Anyone who has perused the Old Testament would have to agree, I think. So I guess one has to ask what it is about us Yids that we cling to the Guy who on a bet smote the crap out of Job’s world, then berated Job for looking at Him crosswise. Who thought nothing about destroying the world and starting all over again.
But that deity only makes sense in the archaic world of the time. Think of the Greek pantheon (or any of those ancient pantheons) and all the gods’ shortcomings and petty evils. They were humans with the powers of a god. Modern day Jews and Christians would like to think their God is somehow above all that, but the scriptures don’t give much support. And while Jesus made the attempt to make it all about love, forgiveness, and charity, how many nowadays live that message? It’s almost as though they’re more content with their bloodthirsty God than with his hippie Son.
Anyway, I’d say give A Serious Man a pass, unless you’re so OCD you have to see every Coen Brothers movie.
D.
Or else I’m stupid. Arrogant and stupid.
