Hail, Caesar! (2016)

In 1951 Hollywood, a studio executive's (Josh Brolin) job is to keep the studio's stars out of the newspapers and boy, does he have his hands full: the studio's top star (George Clooney) is kidnapped by a communist cell, their resident aquatic star (Scarlett Johansson) is pregnant and unmarried and he's being threatened by a pair of rival sister gossip columnists (Tilda Swinton playing both roles) about exposing a secret that could ruin the career of their top star. This is Coen Brothers lite and lacks their usual dark and pungent wit. It's not worthless and there are enough good moments that it's a double pity that it's not better. The biggest problem is that the Coens don't seem to have a genuine affection for the genres they're spoofing and if there's no love, it's just condescension. In a superb movie parody like YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for example, it's clear that Mel Brooks loves the B&W horror movies he's spoofing. On the upside, Clooney gets a chance to work out his comedy chops and there's a likability about his dimwit shallow actor, Johansson doesn't have enough to do but her sass and spunk are welcome and Alden Ehrenreich's singing cowboy is just adorable. What I found most interesting though is that the Coens' premise is that there WAS a communist infiltration in Hollywood rather than treat it as "red paranoia". The huge cast includes Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Frances McDormand (in the film's funniest gag),  Clancy Brown, Christopher Lambert and Wayne Knight.