Today’s quick review: Barton Fink. Barton Fink (John Turturro), an up-and-coming New York playwright, takes a detour to Hollywood to become a screenwriter. His first assignmen, handed down by fast-talking studio mogul Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner), is a wrestling picture. But Barton’s muse proves elusive, and he soon finds himself searching for inspiration from his neighbor Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), an amiable insurance salesman.
Barton Fink is a black comedy and drama from the Coen Brothers. Barton Fink centers around the title character, a nervous, introverted writer who takes his work seriously. Holed up in a ramshackle Los Angeles hotel, Fink struggles to come up with a plot that will capture the plight of the common man. Skillful cinematography and a unique vision make Barton Fink an interesting pick, but its offbeat tone, dry humor, and dark undertones make it a niche one.
Barton Fink is an odd duck. One part musing on the creative process, one part Hollywood satire, the film takes a dark turn near the halfway point. As Fink’s mental state deteriorates, the world around him becomes more unsettling and more surreal. Barton Fink never quite crosses over into horror or fantasy, but the film’s odd occurrences, focused presentation style, and lingering ambiguities set the viewer adrift in Fink’s fraying life.
As such, Barton Fink has more artistic value than entertainment value. The comedy is dry even by the Coen Brothers’ standards. The drama touches on interesting themes, but Fink’s story arc leaves plenty to the imagination. John Turturro and John Goodman both turn in solid performances, but their characters are both unusual enough that they’re hard to get a bead on. The direction is attentive and uses subtle tricks to achieve the desired tone.
Watch Barton Fink if you’re interested in the creative struggle, looking for something unconventional, or enjoy thoughtful cinematography for its own sake. As far as entertainment goes, Barton Fink is all over the map; most viewers will have a hard time sifting through it to find a satisfying story. But those with an artistic bent may want to check it out, as its acting, craftsmanship, and unique vision give the audience plenty to chew on.
For a more overt Coen Brothers comedy, try O Brother, Where Art Thou?. For a Coen Brothers movie with a similarly dry, dramatic tone, try The Man Who Wasn’t There. For a surreal sci-fi mystery thriller that touches on similar themes, try Dark City. For a cat-and-mouse mystery about writers with dry comedy and a murderous twist, try Deathtrap or Sleuth.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for solid execution of a vision that’s hard to comprehend; your score will depend on how much you appreciate the vision.