Sometimes, you have to lose your way to get back home

Starring: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, Daniel von Bargen, Wayne Duvall, Frank Collison, Stephen Root

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You seek a great fortune, you three who are now in chains. You will find a fortune, though it will not be the one you seek. But first... first you must travel a long and difficult road, a road fraught with peril. Mm-hmm. You shall see thangs, wonderful to tell." – Blind Seer

Why watch this? This is a fun, poetic American fable that feels very familiar.

Plot Summary: Loosely based on Homer's Odyssey, this comedy drama follows three escaped convicts – Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar – as they embark on a journey through Depression-era Mississippi. Their aim is to reach Everett’s home and recover a hidden treasure before the area is flooded to create a new lake. Along the way, they encounter a series of eccentric characters, evade a relentless lawman, and inadvertently become folk music sensations.

Dad's Preview: It took me a second viewing to get this film, and it was worth it. The Coen brothers were ambitious here: let's retell The Odyssey, but in mid-Depression America, then we'll pepper the heroes' journey with American folk music, in effect making it an American story. It works, in a quasi-surreal way, thanks to music being in the background of many scenes. It was also a great idea to used three incredible actors in the leads. The journey is fraught with colorful encounters with many folks, each a test for the three travelers. Be sure and check out the film's soundtrack - it's a pretty darn good listen.

Touchstone Pics, Universal Pics, Studio Canal, Working Title Films,
Blind Bard Pictures; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution