Too cynical. Satirizing classical Hollywood was always going to be interesting, but Hail Caesar! (2016, USA) does not quite hit the mark. It lacks imagination.

Hail, Caesar! will still divide audiences: some will find it hilarious, but others will be put-off by its incessant cynicism and ultimate hollow feeling.

Filming a crucifixion scene in a biblical epic, an actor plays a Roman. He announces how wonderful Jesus is in the scene, but curses off-camera when the director says ‘cut!’.

In another scene in Hail, Caesar!, religious leaders argue with a Hollywood fixer how Jesus should be depicted in a film. Though the scene ends amicably, the arguments between the leaders make a mockery of the debate for effect.

Dividing audiences is nothing new for the writer/director team of Joel and Ethan Coen who have made ambiguous [read: double meanings] films before.

Though Hail, Caesar! is ambiguous, there is still an interesting story-line involving Eddie Mannix. He is a fixer for Capitol Films, who solves the stars problems. But he needs some inspiration in this factory town.

He’s a decent man caught up in the whirlwind of sticking to a time schedule. And answering important phone calls every hour.

His big job is to resolve a star’s kidnapping. It lands the star in the company of people with an unusual agenda, honed for satirical effect.

Life for Mannix seems jaded. He needs an injection of inspiration to give meaning to his routine.

But this is given a Coen Brothers edge. This Hollywood fixer seems to be managing the Hollywood lie, so being inspired in his job is also a lie.

That sounds like the point. But ultimately, you don’t really believe in Hail, Caesar! It is too ambiguous and cynical.

Warnings—strong profanity

Notes: Josh Brolin (Eddie Mannix), George Clooney (Baird Whitlock), Alden Ehrenreich (Hobie Doyle), Joel and Ethan Coen (writers/directors).