'A Serious Man' clever, but an acquired taste

Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen

Cast: Sari Lennick, Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind

Cert: 15

The Coens bring us the seriously troubled Professor Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg) whose life in the late 1960s is coming apart at the seams fast and leaving him with the questions we all often ponder: What's it all about? Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Who's going to help?

Gopnik is awaiting a possible promotion, while life around him falls apart.

The vetting committee deciding his fate get anonymous letters against him, a student is threatening to sue, his wife (Lennick) is leaving him because his useless brother is freeloading, his son is on pot and nothing gets better.

It's a comedy blacker than black, offering lifting moments of humour as our hero seeks guidance from three rabbis, who don't really produce the goods.

As with all the Coen films this one's an acquired taste, clever, observant, angst-ridden, witty and full of unanswered questions.

Star Rating: 3/5