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Barton Fink

What begins as a mildly interesting premise in "Barton Fink" ends up becoming a misplaced film noir that goes terribly awry. The film's titular character (John Turturro) starts out as a New York playwright whose shot at fame comes after receiving a rave review for a recent production; wanting to write pieces for the common man, Fink finds himself in a new and strange world when he arrives in Hollywood, only to discover that the job promised him involves writing out of conformity and restraint. After taking a room at the ominous Hotel Earle, where the wallpaper peels and sounds can be heard from other rooms, Fink befriends his neighbor, insurance salesman Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), who becomes his sole confidant and voice of reason during his stay in Los Angeles. ***

The early developments are intriguing enough to draw the viewer into a variety of subplots, including that of Fink's involvement with a renowned author (John Mahoney) whose secretary (Judy Davis) writes his novels and screenplays. The relationship between Fink and his new female acquaintance eventually leads to a series of catastrophic events, from which the film never recovers its appeal. Plunging into elements of mystery and surrealism without ever having much of a rhythm to its mayhem, "Barton Fink" suffers from an incoherence and ultimate banality that further ruins the experience as its progresses. The Coen Brothers, whose "Miller's Crossing" was at the very least watchable throughout, don't seem to have a fixed position for their story, and while that may be the intention, it doesn't make it any less of a disappointment. The cast is admirable for their gusto, and the production looks gorgeous throughout, but the overall film does itself a grave injustice by refusing to give us a reason to care.

A pretty good tranfer, flaws notwithstanding. The source print for this 1.85:1 image is in good shape, so we have very little to complain about in terms of scratches or speckle. Clarity is generally pleasing, although some instances bear some rather soft edges, and enhancement halos are noticeable throughout. Colors are saturated quite nicely, with accurate hues throuyghout, while contrast is admirable and shadow delineation very nice. Had it been sharper, it would have been perfect, but as it stands, it's good enough. ***

The sound is mastered in Dolby 2.0 Surround, and performs quite well for what it is. The entire soundfield tends to come alive solely during the more intense moments, with some good use of the surrounds, and some rather striking powerful deep bass from the .1 LFE in sudden jolts and jerks. Dialogue sounds very good with little bleed into the front channels, and the score from Carter Burwell projects nicely from the front end with some sparse surround utilization as well. Not the greatest, but it serves the material well.