Analysis of A Serious Man Film Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen - Essay Example

His wife has left him, his children have problems, and at work, there are several things he does go wrong. He is very much like the character of Job from the Old Testament.

He seems to be being made to suffer for the amusement of some supernatural force. Climbing to the roof of his home (albeit for another purpose), he is getting closer to heaven and the gods which control his fate. He is also taking the opportunity to survey his situation and his place in the world from on high. The camera angle is below Larry in this shot. His back is to the camera and he looks awkward and ungainly; indeed, his shirt is tucked in and he is wearing nice shoes, not the kind of outfit one wears to climb on the roof.

The sky is a bright, clear blue, but much else in the shot is sterile. The only other object, besides the shingles on the roof, is the antenna, to Larry's left. Larry is in the center of the frame and all the lines of the roof lead up to him. He is the soul of this picture. Climbing onto the roof is an important chance for Larry to survey his life. After this frame, he looks out on the streets and at his neighbors. Again, everything appears wholesome and sterile in his neighborhood.

Everything is perfectly clean and rectangular. And then he spots a naked woman sunbathing next door. He stares at her for a long time, an unreachable object of desire. The roof offers the perfect spot for Larry to take stock of things. He is close to a blank and incomprehensible sky, in which he has put some of his faith. There is a little quiet music playing in the background. The sound is not intended to distract from the images. This static shot is in contrast to the hand-held shots that come right afterward to indicate Larry's point of view. Overall, this frame shows Larry's loneliness and essential goodness. It shows him striving to do good and understand his life.