106 minutes, Comedy, PG

Written, Produced and Directed by the Coen Brothers (TRUE GRIT, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, FARGO), this new comedy features an array of wonderful talent in its lengthy casting order – George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill to name most of them. HAIL, CAESAR! – a dramatic feature film being shot in Hollywood during the 1950’s, is in fact the setting for a series of dramas occurring off-camera, in HAIL, CAESAR! Inspired by real characters, we follow Eddie Mannix (Brolin), a “fixer” as he addresses the many complications and conundrums both on-set and in his personal life, during the course of a day in production.

I’d love to give you a hint of just what’s in store on-set HAIL, CAESAR! I even wrote and deleted the paragraph several times! But, it stays deleted, for the less prior knowledge you enter HAIL, CAESAR! with, the more unexpected and fun it most definitely will be. Though very much a comedy that seeks the right kind of audience to extract genuine laughter from, with its mix of 50’s pop-culture satire and parody, there is no question that HAIL, CAESAR! deserves to be hailed as an intelligent and highly original comedy. Fans of Wes Anderson movies in particular will appreciate the cleverly conceived ideas and developments written into the script and characterisation. The shenanigans that play out do generate plenty of laughter and amusement, and the expertly planned & executed structure enables the element of mystery to the fore. The acting is fruitful and vibrant from the entire ensemble cast, though please do bear in mind in order to avoid disappointment, that with so many A-grade celebrities in a film that runs less than two hours, a number of them feature in less than a handful of scenes and some appear beyond the half-way mark. But, as they say, quality is more important than quantity, and each actor ensures their contribution, whether major or minor, is a memorable one.

4 out of 5

HAIL, CAESAR! Film Trailer

Footnote to Parents
Rightly branded with a PG classification in Australia for mild themes and coarse language. However, the right audience for HAIL, CAESAR! will be above 15 years of age, but not due to any content material or unsuitable scenes.

Moviedoc wishes to thank Linda from Universal Pictures Australia, Universal Pictures Australia and Hoyts Melbourne Central for the invitation to the preview screening of HAIL, CAESAR! 

Review by Moviedoc
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