YES!!! That's awesome! I don't think I know anyone who has seen it, except maybe my brother (and I haven't had the chance to ask him). I think it's going to end up being one of those movies I revisit from time to time and it is definitely a film that I am trying to introduce a lot of people to. I'm hoping maybe I can do a Netflix Party thing to watch it with my friend in Colorado, as she was my movie buddy up until a few months ago when she moved out of state (and, you know, the plague descended upon us). Like, I am just so so excited to share this movie with people. The humor is super subtle and dry but that's exactly what I love about it. And I love the characters, especially Larry. Michael Stuhlbarg knocks it out of the park. And Richard Kind- holy crap. I really like that guy anyway but he is SO GOOD in this. I really felt for him, especially the scene where Spoiler: he breaks down crying in the motel pool while talking about his pending trial. The movie is also, like, SO specific. It really feels lived in, if that makes sense. This world feels real and yet just a bit off at the same time. And it feels authentic. You can tell the Coens really put their own experiences growing up into it. At least it seems that way to me.


And yes! The futility of all of it, the search for meaning where there may not be any, it is such a great concept to explore and was so wonderfully done. And I loved the way they explored the idea of paradoxes, specifically taking Spoiler: Schrödinger's cat and actually using that as a template for the entire movie, basically. Like, at the end, when Larry opens the envelope and accepts the bribe- THAT'S when everything comes crashing down. Did he have cancer or not? Well, now that he has accepted the money, the two possibilities collapse into one and, hey, he just got a phone call from his doctor that I think we can safely assume is bad news. His kid might be about to die. It looks like he may not be receiving his tenure. Like, this all happened right when he decided to take that bribe. But then you have to ask yourself: is that REALLY what happened? Did the universe sort of collapse into one of those possibilities, did he seal his fate with his decision, or did that have nothing to do with it? Is it all just chaos? Are we looking for meaning in this thing when there really isn't one there? And isn't that the point of the whole movie? Maybe there's a meaning, maybe there's not, but prooooobably not. Either way, stop worrying about it and just live your life and try to be a good person. That's basically the point, right? But on a meta level we as the audience have to decide if this is all just coincidence or if there really is something to this, something behind this. Just like Larry is trying to figure out. And maybe the whole point is that we shouldn't be worried about it either. God, I don't know. But I love that. I love everything about that. And this movie.