Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is a mesmerizing adaptation

Joel Coen’s first movie without brother Ethan is a Shakespeare adaptation that will please fans of the Bard and fans of Fargo alike.

His first solo film without Ethan, Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth has arrived at theaters, as foretold by the weird sisters. The Coen brothers — the guys behind Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men and many more — are two of my favorite movie makers, so I was destined to see this new film. Now that I’ve done so, what to make of it?

As a Coen fan, the first thing I want to talk about are the ways that MacBeth differs from their other films. For starters, I think the choice to adapt Shakespeare is particularly bold, since the Coens usually write original scripts. The works of William Shakespeare are sacrosanct, you can’t touch the text when you adapt it other than cutting it down. It’s sort of like Joel put a straitjacket on himself for this film, eschewing one of his talents — writing original scripts — so he would have to use his others.

In a lot of ways, Joel Coen has put the straitjacket on me too. Usually, the script and writing is what I pay most attention to, but I’d be stupid to criticize Shakespeare, so let’s focus on other things.

Thematically, I think Macbeth is a good match for the rest of Coen’s filmography. Nearly all of his films have plots driven by the pursuit of wealth and greed, which inevitably leads to death and suffering. Macbeth’s bloody ascent to kingship is very much in keeping with this. So even though the story is not original, Coen maintains that thread.

With the exception of frequent collaborator Frances McDormand, who plays Lady Macbeth, the cast are mostly fresh faces for a Coen film, and they all do a wonderful job. For me, the big test for an actor performing the Bard is if they can make me understand the words. I try and read Shakespeare, and lord help me if I can interpret it without Sparknotes by my side. But when you see it performed in the right way, the acting makes the meaning crystal clear, as it is here.

Some of the performances are absolutely enchanting; Kathryn Hunter, for instance, uses body language and vocal control to create a breathtaking Witch. Denzel Washington is also a highlight in the title role; his performance of the dagger monologue stands out in my mind most right now. The emotion and purpose is clear in his expressions, and the long sentences come out naturally. Everyone from the big stars to the unknowns fit perfectly and make this fog-filled world feel real.

Speaking of that, the aesthetic of the movie is another thing I really liked. It evokes the limited, representative style you might see on the stage. For example, a forest is depicted as two perfect rows of trees and Macbeth’s house as a row of arches with shadows on the window. Shooting in stark black and white, Coen finds lots of opportunities for visually interesting shots. Touching on the dagger scene again, there’s a great interpretation of the vision of the dagger: the knife-shaped light at the end of the dark hallway turns out to be the door handle into King Duncan’s room. “The handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.”

About the only critique I have about “The Tragedy of Macbeth” involves the editing. Not all of it. Sometimes the editing is, I assume, done well because I didn’t notice it. Other times, it seems a little choppy to me; we switch between different character reactions too quickly, stuff like that. Likewise, sometimes the cinematography is very interesting, and sometimes it’s standard shot-reverse-shot stuff.

That’s about all I have to say. This is a very satisfying and stimulating Macbeth adaptation. I can’t see Shakespeare lovers walking away from this unhappy. For Coen fans, I think they will get what they expect, and at the same time enjoy something unique.

However, while I liked this movie, I hope in the future Joel either returns to original work or does something that isn’t as well-known. Doing Macbeth — or any Shakespeare really — is like working with a net, because you know the script is strong. Maybe that was a good idea for his first solo project, and while I consider it a success, I hope he strikes out even further on his own in the future.

Grade: B+

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