Barton Fink

Someone pleaaaaase explain this movie to me!! Pleaaaaaaaaaase!! I think that this is the 2nd or 3rd time that I watch it, and for the love of God and all that is precious in the world of cinema…I just don’t get it!

The story itself is a simple one, of course, a writer who moves to Hollywood to write for the movies during the 1940s, but the “events” which occur to him once he gets there, are, on the surface, extremely trivial, but supposedly, not…right?

I know that this movie is supposed to have ALL KINDS of under and over-tones, with stuff like McCarthy-ism, anti-semitism, writer’s block, homosexuality, and all other kinds of stuff, but I honestly couldn’t make heads or tails out of any of it.

I still give it a 5/10 because despite the film moving at a snail’s pace (purposely, I am sure), I was still into the picture because of the acting talent that was involved. Great performances! Turturro especially stood out for me, and the cinematography, which was pretty outstanding.

But ask me to explain what any of it meant and I’m up shit’s creek without a paddle.

I guess this “movie” is the perfect definition of a “film”. Something that a lot of critics “get” and admire, while the rest of us, shrug our shoulders.

There’s apparently MUCH more in there than meets the eye, but I ask you, if “most” eyes can’t decipher those meanings, does the film still hold any of its power?

I don’t know…being a Coen fan, I’m interested to get more insight to this film, but for “regular” folks, I honestly wouldn’t recommend this film with a 10-foot pole.

(c) 2021 Berge Garabedian