The Hudsucker Proxy
Dir: Joel Coen
Star: Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Newman, Bruce Campbell
At their best, the Coen Brothers produce modern fairy-tales, urban myths that don't take place in the real world, but an alternate universe which parallels ours, with larger characters. The Hudsucker Proxy is their most perfectly realised work to date; its simple tale of Norville Barnes (Robbins), a simple man whose dreams lead him both into and out of trouble is elevated into a thing of rare beauty. It's a triumph of the human spirit, a "feel good" film that leaves you with a warm, cozy feeling without relying on sentimental mush - Barnes is just an honest, generous, kind person, and all the events which happen to him are a natural result of this.
The Coens imbue this uncomplicated story with a dazzling array of cinematic techniques; dreams sequences, montages and, at the end, a total disregard for reality which works purely because it is so audacious. In other hands, it would be a cheap get-out, but after all we've seen before, it provokes no snort of derision, just a nod and a smile. Robbins is great, and is backed by an excellent supporting cast and a wonderful use of classical music. It's the
sort of film that leaves you with a spring in your step, a smile on your face, and a warmth towards your fellow man, only otherwise obtainable through beer.
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