The First Reviews for Coen Bros’ ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Are Magnificent

Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Enrenreich, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum at the 'Hail, Caesar!' premiere.

The Coen Brother’s new comedy Hail, Caesar! (opening in NZ on March 3 and Australia on February 25) has premiered in Los Angeles this week (pictured above – cast members Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Enrenreich, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum).

We’ve been highly anticipating this, very highly anticipating, but also trying to balance this against expectation, hope and some trailer trepidation.

We’re happy to report, the first reviews are in and are almost universally glowing. Here’s a sample:

“Likely to fry the mind of anyone who hasn’t yet built up a resistance to the brothers’ foibles and predilections over the past 16 films, it’s easily the most Coen-y Coen movie they’ve put out. But then, they are stealing from the best.” –Empire Magazine (UK)

“A hipster mash note to the way things used to be, it will put a smile on your face and keep it there for the duration.” –Los Angeles Times

“Coen bros hit peak star-cameo in superb sister film to Barton Fink… a lot of fun, and beautifully crafted, too. One to savour.” –Guardian (UK)

“Weds the backstage Hollywood shenanigans of Barton Fink to a more manic pace. It doesn’t seem new for them, yet as super polished, mannered, slightly surreal comedies go, the movie feels as rare as a unicorn.” –Time Out New York

“A love letter inked in arsenic, at once celebrating the artistry of Hollywood and cringing at the crass commercialism and rampant phoniness of it all.” –Total Film (UK)

“It’s difficult to remember a recent movie so tartly on-point in skewering a power-driven industry obsessed with such seemingly meaningless ephemera as screen-credit and commissary pecking orders.” –Washington Post

“Hooray for the Coen Brothers Hollywood Homage… This is one of my favorite movies ever made about making movies.” –Chicago Sun-Times (Richard Roeper)

Here’s a recently released clip from the film, and below that the latest trailer.