Hail, Caesar!

There's nothing quite like a Coen Brothers film, and Hail, Caesar! is a whimsical odyssey with some elements in common with other efforts from Joel and Ethan Coen but defies comparison with other filmmakers. Parts of the film, which takes place in the golden days of Hollywood, are undeniably brilliant and display typical Coen genius, but there's also an unevenness and lack of focus.

Of course, old Hollywood already got a good going over from the Coens with the legendary Barton Fink, and Hail, Caesar! probably won't be remembered in the same revered terms. It is, however, a hell of a lot of fun, especially if you like big musical numbers — Channing Tatum stars in one as a Gene Kelly-esque sailor while Scarlett Johansson does an Esther Williams-style water ballet.

The lead character would seem to be Josh Brolin's, who plays a Hollywood studio 'fixer' — keeping stars in line and making sure that no damaging gossip gets out to the press. George Clooney at his goofy best is star actor, Baird Whitlock, who's kidnapped from the set of his latest Roman epic and held for ransom. Then there's young talented unknown Alden Ehrenreich as a cowboy movie star trying his hardest to spit out the dialogue, "Would that it were so simple" for director, Ralph Fiennes, in the film's funniest scene.

It's all gloriously madcap and it's best just to go along for the ride, even if at the end you wonder what it was all meant to be about.