The Hudsucker Proxy

Buy This Item The Hudsucker Proxy by Warner Home Video  Available from Amazon  $12.99  on 9-23-2008     The Coen brothers (<I>Raising Arizona</I>, <I>Fargo</I>) have become the most consistently original filmmakers in the land. In a salute/reworking of the fast-talking comedies of the '40s, we follow Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) and his amazing rise to the top. But he's only a puppet for the evil Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman), who wants the company for himself. The Coens' design is the real star, and their first big-budget film will stimulate movie fans. The story weakens in the middle, but you will find very few films that move with this much imagination. As a Kate Hepburn hybrid, Jennifer Jason Leigh is wonderful in an almost unplayable role. The less you know about the film, the better it plays, so just think of it as <I>How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</I> mixed with <I>Brazil</I> and every journalistic drama made before 1960. Cowritten by Sam Raimi. <I>--Doug Thomas</I> Reader Reviews The Hudsucker Proxy is somewhat formulaic in the way it delivers it's story, with nothing really surprising in much of the plot or stylized windy dialogue. It's not bad, but it's not great either. Thankfully it throws in one or two curve-balls, but there are more forced laughs than clever moments. I'd give it three stars for the three stars: Newman, Robbins and Leigh. It does take a few unconventional turns in reaching it's predictable ending, but outside the hula-hoop, there's not much of a twist in this story.

The Hudsucker Proxy Available from Amazon Price: $12.99 Updated on 9-23-2008.

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