Given enough time, my writing on film will belie the fact that I have very occasional flashes of insight surrounded by a little wit, and a handful of filler. All put forth in somewhat long-winded fashion. My blind spot has always been firmly grounded in not recognizing deep subtext. I suspect it's related to my reliance on tactical instead of strategic thinking. For me, the "long game" is doing whatever needs to be done in the moment, and leaving the big picture to people who can manage schedules and long-term planning.
How does this relate to the Coen Brothers latest film? I'm not sure. I didn't have a strategy for this review...just the flickers of a couple of ideas. Eddie Mannix, played by Josh Brolin, is exceedingly good at his difficult job of running "physical production" at a major studio in the '50s. A good man, who is good at what he does, Mannix solves all of the day-to-day problems with actors, production schedules, illnesses, pregnancies, gossip, and all manner of craziness.
Mannix is faced with the temptation of an easier, higher paying job. This brings on something of a crisis in faith that he does not seem to have time to ponder thoroughly. Going about his business with kidnapped actors, dueling twin gossip columnists, little league, weather, and communists, he makes decisions quickly that always appear to be in the best interest of the people and studio in his charge. He acts in good faith. Always forthright in his dealings, and legitimately concerned with the well being of those who look to him for solutions to their problems.
Studio people are often, in movies about Hollywood, painted in an entirely different light. But the Coens let Josh Brolin be a no-joke good guy.
I can see ripples of the subtext, and would probably get a lot out of reading other reviews of Hail, Caesar!, but I can tell you that the movie is a lot about faith. Mannix comes to terms with the idea that the doing the more difficult thing is probably the right way to go. But he also seems to learn that having faith that things will turn out is often the best tactic. One of the most telling lines in the film is along the lines of "That's great. It took care of itself".
There may not be a lot of things in which you can place your faith without question in the world. But I have faith that the Coen Brothers are packing even their most fun-loving films with deeper meaning. Even if you don't have the eyes to pick it up outright without guidance. It takes care of itself.
