20 Awesome Movies That You Haven’t Seen… And Should!
13. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Joel Coen, 2000)
The adventure film was directed by Joel Coen and produced by his brother Ethan. George Clooney stars in the film alongside John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson.
Supporting members of the cast include well-known actors like John Goodman and Holly Hunter.
The film is set in 1937 and follows the adventures of Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney), Pete Hogwallop (Turturro), and Delmar O’Donnell (Nelson) as they escape from a chain gang in search of a buried treasure.
The film’s storyline follows the trio as they trek across rural Mississippi during the Great Depression. Clooney’s character claims to have stolen $1.2 million from an armored car and buried it shortly before his incarceration. The men have just four days following their escape to find the money. The valley in which McGill buried the money is going to be flooded for the creation of Arkabutla Lake as part of a hydroelectric dam project.
Rent or Buy this movie on Amazon now
The film’s storyline has been described by critics as a modern version of the ancient tale of Ulysses. As the men trek across Mississippi in search of the buried treasure, they are met by one event after another that sets them back in their journey. The theme is strikingly similar to the story of Ulysses as told in “The Odyssey,” and is reinforced by the name of Clooney’s character (Ulysses).
