Coen Bros: A Serious Man part 1
I’ve received many comments from people who didn’t like the Coen Bros’ A Serious Man because it has “a passive protagonist.”
Well, interesting that folks should bring that up. A Serious Man challenges the protagonist question in a way I’ve never seen a movie do before, and it’s not just idle observation, it’s built into the structure of the entire movie. Because A Serious Man does not have a passive protagonist, it has a very active protagonist. A very active — and very powerful — protagonist.
Unless, of course, it does not. Which is exactly where the mystery lies.
Let me explain.