The Coen brothers have caught us unawares and given us not only an unusual drama that opens a humorous window into Jewish culture of America, but also serve as a powerful journey into the demands of contemporary life.

Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg), a Professor of Physics is under great pressure as burden and worry becomes the order of the day. His uncle (Kind) has moved in with him, his wife (Lennick) has left him for a widower (Melamed) and his adolescent children (Wolff and McManus) are continually annoying him about unimportant things. In the meantime, he is waiting to learn if he would be given the work extension and has some medical problems. He seeks advice from his lawyer and a number of rabbis to understand his problems.

The period is 1967 and the Coens are exploring their own early days and their traditions and customs. The principle premise that life is basically mysterious is resonated through out the movie. The entire cinema combines raw wit and cynical optimism with a persuasive dosage of depressing fatalism.

It is faultless cinematography with the skilled film script, direction and editing from the Coens, excellent camera work by Roger Deakins, modest production strategy by Jess Gonchor and the insightful score by Carter Burwell. The film has great acting performances from the entire cast-list, with the superbly enacted, down to earth Stuhlbarg, besieged by the turn of events in his life.

The continuous invectives thrown at him by all and sundry are quite familiar, with stress, inducements, and unreasonable tasks, all takes away the happiness far beyond. Although Larry does not do anything distasteful, others considers him to be the root cause of their misery and since he is not at fault, he does not redeem himself. Coens are very perspective and intelligent film makers that they approach intense subjects in amusing ways that gives us entertainment as well as food for thought.