Badmovies.org Forum

***1/2 out of ****.

I re-watched this 1991 Coens Bros. movie last night for the 1st time since they finally released it on DVD (along with Miller's Crossing) back during 2003.

To give too much of the plot away would be doing a bit of a disservice to people who have yet to see this quirky but great film.  Basically, it revolves around the title character Barton Fink played brilliantly by John Turturro. He is a NY based playwright who gets a big dollar deal to come out to Hollywood to write for "the pictures" back in  the early 1940's.  He shacks up in a hotel called the Earle to start writing on a wrestling picture and suffers pretty bad writers block. His neighbor is played by John Goodman which IMO is easily is most riveting and nuanced performance to date.  Why has this man never been nominated for an Oscar for movies like this?

What's funny about the making of this movie is that the Coens Bros. got the inspiration for the movie while suffering severe writers block working on 1990's Miller's Crossing.

One complaint I've heard from a lot of people about the movie is that it takes a turn for the really weird a little bit prior to the 3rd act and never looks back which seriously huts it as a whole. But if you re-watch the movie, you'll notice/pick up on things that you didn't the 1st time through that make it work even better. I personally didn't have any problems  with the plot developments. But I do have to knock off a half of a star as the movie does have a really weird rhythm to it that can make the movie hard for some people to make it through.  It takes a little bit to find it's groove but once it gets going it's brilliant filmmaking.

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/372853210_79b10832ac.jpg)

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/372853204_3732996797.jpg)

I absolutely love this film.  It's my favorite Coen Brothers film.  They've never done anything quite this far out since.

Then again, I strongly identify with the subject matter.

I think the movie's pretty darn weird for the first 2/3, if the viewer's paying attention.  How could anyone not be seriously creeped out by the Hotel Earle? 

But BARTON FINK does reward a 2nd and 3rd viewing, that's for sure, Torgo. 

I watched this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was fantastic.  Great acting all around.  Awesome cinematography.  And a great movie for anyone who's had severe writer's block.

A solid movie by the Brothers Coen.  Highly recommended.

Definitely one of the COEN Brothers more intriguing flix.  As Torgo suggested, not for mainstream tastes. 

Count me as one of the people who had a hard time getting through Barton Fink.  A very, very hard time.  For the most part, it's a statement on how Hollywood treats writers (like crap).  Movies about Hollywood have never interested me.

Then, suddenly, John Goodman is a serial killer (or maybe the Devil), hallways are catching on fire, and then Barton is sitting on the beach with a box which probably contains a severed head.  Okay.

Now, that kind of stuff does interest me but it just didn't seem to fit or even make much difference to the movie.

Hey Akira, I don't consider myself all that mainstream as a viewer, but I found this movie somewhat entertaining until the really weird crap at the end.  The fiery hallway just lost me. It appeared to be out of place.

And please don't anybody try to explain it to me.

BTW, I forgot to include this little local footnote in my brief review.

I live in Roanoke, VA and we had a run down old hotel that was actually called  Hotel Earle back in  the 70's/80's I believe.

They were getting ready to tear it down around the time that Barton Fink opened at the local Grandin Theater. In the movie Barton Fink, the Hotel Earle that Barton stays in severely catches fire at a certain point.

The Friday night that Barton Fink opened up in Roanoke, VA the actual Hotel Earle caught fire and burned to the ground.  We passed by it on the way back from grabbing a bite to eat downtown after catching Barton Fink.

Very strange indeed.........................   :buggedout: 

I worked with John Goodman in 2000, on a radio version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Lodestone Records).  He had nothing but nice things to say about the Coens --
As far as Barton Fink goes, wife Dixie and I still quote the William Faulkner character -- "Whooo!  Where's my honey?!?!?  Where my honey at!?!?" -- especially when teasing our cats.
Yes, definitely remember the dazed expression on Turturro's face as he watches the wrestling sequence over and over again.
peter johnson/denny the cry of the fishmonger

This movie is easily in my top 20 sick pleasures. Indeed a strange movie, but aren't nearly all Coen Brother's films a little odd.

I love this movie, its definitely up there on my high list.I like how they transitioned the main character into his slow decent. I think I'm especially fond of it cause it reminds me of some of the old tenement buildings i lived in back on the east side of Charleston when I first left home. Its amazing how something that was once so grand slips into desrepair and finally becomes slum-ish.