This post was mentioned on Twitter by mrhoward: New SPJ post about the Coens’ A Serious Man! BEHOLD! http://tinyurl.com/yl3xxsf…

Really this is a very deep and philosophical movie that explores within the Jewish religion and culture the frustrations and questions that all of us ask or are raised in a certain organized religion. Being raised Catholic I found that those that were the leaders in religion or those that seemed to have the “answers” always fell short. I would ask questions or wonder about things and the answer never seemed to be right or rational. Its like the sad realization that those you idolize turn out to be imperfect and you somehow are smarter than them. I think that our human condition and life and its problems are so complex that even religion (for those of us that are lapsed) still feel an emptiness and the answers we are given just don’t seem to be enough. They brilliantly show this throughout the film with the different Rabbis he goes to and the constant searching and toiling.

In the end, I think that we all try to be good people, (hence a serious man) but the looming of whether god exists is always there and that is something being brought up with religion becomes inbred in you. I really love how they showed that. It took me a bit to understand that and I think upon viewing this several times I will walk away more enlightened because they are really exploring a lot here.

It also shows from the Jewish perspective the mundane, ritualistic and empty parts of religion that people don’t feel fulfilled or enlightened. Like the son being high when he is being inaugurated into Judaism ha. There are just some images that are stuck in my head. Anyway could go on, but love your review.

Really this is a very deep and philosophical movie that explores within the Jewish religion and culture the frustrations and questions that all of us ask or are raised in a certain organized religion. Being raised Catholic I found that those that were the leaders in religion or those that seemed to have the “answers” always fell short. I would ask questions or wonder about things and the answer never seemed to be right or rational. Its like the sad realization that those you idolize turn out to be imperfect and you somehow are smarter than them. I think that our human condition and life and its problems are so complex that even religion (for those of us that are lapsed) still feel an emptiness and the answers we are given just don’t seem to be enough. They brilliantly show this throughout the film with the different Rabbis he goes to and the constant searching and toiling.

In the end, I think that we all try to be good people, (hence a serious man) but the looming of whether god exists is always there and that is something being brought up with religion becomes inbred in you. I really love how they showed that. It took me a bit to understand that and I think upon viewing this several times I will walk away more enlightened because they are really exploring a lot here.

It also shows from the Jewish perspective the mundane, ritualistic and empty parts of religion that people don’t feel fulfilled or enlightened. Like the son being high when he is being inaugurated into Judaism ha. There are just some images that are stuck in my head. Anyway could go on, but love your review.