O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Movie, 2000, The 2000s, Set in Mississippi, 1937
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is #8 of 21 in release order and #8 of 21 in chronological order in the The Coen Brothers.
The story
In the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? recap
In 1930s Mississippi, the talkative Everett McGill escapes a chain gang with Pete and Delmar, promising them a share of buried loot before a valley is flooded for a dam. A blind prophet on a railway handcar tells them they will find treasure, but not the one they seek. They pick up a young guitarist, Tommy Johnson, who sold his soul to the devil, and record a song for cash as the Soggy Bottom Boys; unknown to them, it becomes a radio hit. They ride with the bank robber Baby Face Nelson, wake to find Pete apparently turned into a toad by three river sirens, and are beaten by a one-eyed Bible salesman. Everett's real goal is to stop his wife Penny from remarrying, and he admits there is no treasure. A governor's race between Pappy O'Daniel and reformer Homer Stokes runs alongside them. It opens the Coen Brothers' Idiot Trilogy, three films in which George Clooney plays a fool.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? ending explained
The three are pardoned, saved from hanging by the valley flood, and Everett wins back Penny. At Homer Stokes's Klan rally they rescue Tommy, then perform as the Soggy Bottom Boys at Pappy's campaign dinner. Stokes reveals himself as the Klansman and is run out, and Pappy pardons the three. Sheriff Cooley still means to hang them at the valley, but the flood released by the new dam washes everything away. Everett hands Penny the ring he went back for, and she says it is the wrong one; the right ring was in the cabin, now under the lake.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is streaming on Prime Video in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes 78%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Big Lebowski, before The Man Who Wasn't There.
- Chronological order: after The Big Lebowski, before The Man Who Wasn't There.
Cast
- George Clooney as Everett
- John Turturro as Pete Hogwallop
- Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar O'Donnell
- John Goodman as Big Dan Teague
- Holly Hunter as Penny
- Chris Thomas King as Tommy Johnson
- Charles Durning as Pappy O'Daniel
- Del Pentecost as Junior O'Daniel
- Michael Badalucco as George Nelson
- J.R. Horne as Pappy's Staff
- Brian Reddy as Pappy's Staff
- Wayne Duvall as Homer Stokes
Directed by Joel Coen.