From the shtetl to the suburbs, the forces that run our lives are a mystery to us. We think we understand some of these laws, and try to live our lives according to them, but we are just barking up the wrong tree. Because sometime at some point, as the "serious man "finds out, life is going to kick our ass. Religions don't understand anything anymore than our hero of the film does. We are all just guessing. That's what this movie is about. It's pretty brilliant, acerbic, and downright cynical. A dybbuk could appear at your door anyday of the week, or a car crash could end you, or you could get diagnosed with cancer, or a tornado could come and sweep you away. There are laws that determine these things, but they are beyond our comprehension. And the things we choose to worry about are inconsequential. Life is capricious and will end you when it feels like it. Don't even try to figure out and religions don't understand it anymore than anyone else.

Only the Coen bros. could think of something as marvelous as taking the opening lyrics of "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane and turning them into a Jewish proverb. Somehow, after an hour and a half of pure mishegas from the perspective of a real schlemiel, those lyrics sounded just right coming from Rabbi Marshak. A Serious Man was most notably a surprise dark horse nomination for Best Picture in 2009. In most award-seasons, A Serious Man is the kind of film that you'd wish was nominated in every category.

It's a humble project for the Coens, but don't ever underestimate what they can do. A Serious Man is a serious picture that makes you laugh and squirm at the misfortune of Larry Gopnik. An average mid-western Jewish man searching for reason in a time where there is none. Tested is he to make peace with HaShem when all around him is moral decay and temptation. The Coens strength is in their characters, which in this film are as rich as they've ever been. I was fascinated by Arthur Gopnik, a borderline autistic man who discovers a map of the universe while tending to his sebaceous cyst. Perhaps my favorite character was Sy Ableman, a self proclaimed "serious man" from the community who Larry's wife is cheating on him with. His purposely affected anglo-saxon accent nearly killed me. It's the littlest eccentricities of people that the Coens always explore and exploit and it's eternally delightful.

This was one of the movies I watched that really opened my eyes to what film could be... not only does this film tell a hilarious story, it simultaneously conveys some of my own fears and doubts about the chaos and uncertainty of the universe around us in a way that is totally palatable. I saw this movie three times in theaters (it was free due to my employment at the theater, but still, that's a lot of time to spend with Larry Gopnik), and every time I was amazed by the new details I picked up... I also came to thoroughly enjoy watching the audience's reactions as the film came to a close, when, almost invariably, someone in the crowd would mutter disappointedly, "That was it?" while I sat there grinning ear to ear.