--- title: "Hail, Caesar!: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/hail-caesar/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/hail-caesar" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 29 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Hail, Caesar! (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 29 reviews: 20 positive, 8 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like it, find it affectionate rather than sneering, and land on the same pleasures. The set pieces get the warmest notices: Channing Tatum’s sailor dance, the water ballet, and Ralph Fiennes coaching a cowboy actor through a single line are named repeatedly as the moments that justify the ticket. Alden Ehrenreich is the performance most often singled out, with several reviews calling him the film’s discovery, and the studio-era recreations are credited to regular Coen collaborators Roger Deakins and Carter Burwell. The reservations are about shape. Many find the film a string of sketches without a spine, with a central plot that never binds them and little at stake, and several suggest it will suit committed Coen admirers more than a general audience. The spread is wide, from raves to one outright negative: Digital Spy finds it disjointed and emotionally cold. Film Comment raises a different objection, faulting the absence of non-white characters. ## The Guardian — Mark Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2016. The Coen brothers deliver a hilarious, affectionate knockabout homage to golden-age Hollywood that finds nostalgic joy in its chaotic plot, dance numbers and biblical-epic pastiche. The film is praised as a breezy love letter to the movies, redeemed by its infectious fun and standout comic set pieces. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/mar/06/hail-caesar-observer-film-review) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2016. The critic finds the film fast-paced and mostly enchanting, with an abundance of talent on display in its performances and technical elements. She praises the comedic turns from Clooney, Tatum, Ehrenreich and Fiennes while noting minor flaws in the central character and communist subplot. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/hail-caesar-film-review-o-brother-what-are-those-crazy-coen-brothers-up-to-now-a3195661.html) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 5/4/5. 22 February 2016. The Coens deliver a complex, playful satire of 1950s Hollywood that confounds expectations while showcasing transcendent screen craft. They highlight the film's focus on the logistical problem-solving behind movie-making and memorable set pieces like the sailor dance number. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/hail-caesar) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 4/5. 19 February 2016. The Coens deliver a skilfully handled, thrilling and often hilarious love letter to Golden Age Hollywood without sneering. They single out the pitch-perfect parodies of various film styles and the contributions of key collaborators like Deakins and Burwell. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/hail-caesar-review-skilfully-handled-thrilling-and-often-hilarious/) ## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf Rating 4/5. 3 February 2016. The Coens return to playful comedy with this manic backstage Hollywood tale that feels rare and unicorn-like in its polish. They single out the dazzling details, including the Channing Tatum dance number and Michael Gambon's narration. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hail-caesar) ## IndieWire — Nick Schager Rating B. 3 February 2016. The review finds the Coens' Hollywood satire amusing in spots but ultimately uneven and overly familiar. It singles out the period pastiche and supporting performances for occasional sparks amid the scattershot narrative. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-coen-brothers-hail-caesar-starring-josh-brolin-george-clooney-scarlett-johansson-tilda-swinton-and-more-83998/) ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Rating 3/4. 3 February 2016. The Coens' manic pastiche of Hollywood tropes is elevated by their idiosyncrasies above a mere exercise, though its diffuse structure prevents it from feeling entirely fresh. The critic singles out the giddiness of the forgotten fads and strange wonderful sights like the tap dance number. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/hail-caesar/) ## Total Film — Jamie Graham Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2016. The critic calls it undiluted Coens at their most playful and insular, a love letter to Hollywood laced with mischief and cynicism that excels in genre pastiches and in-jokes. While not for everyone, admirers of the brothers' quirkier work will appreciate its absurdist humour and cinematic chicanery. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/hail-caesar-review/) ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 February 2016. The review describes Hail, Caesar! as a series of impressive pastiches and technical achievements that celebrate and mock old Hollywood, but faults the central story for lacking focus and failing to bind the sketches effectively. It concludes that committed Coen fans will likely enjoy its highly idiosyncratic style. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hail-caesar-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2016. The Coens deliver a droll tribute and spoof of Hollywood's past that amuses from start to finish through its precise re-creation of the studio system and its films. The committed ensemble cast and loving genre recreations make it fun and inviting for all viewers, whether or not they catch every inside reference. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-hail-caesar-review-20160205-column.html) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2016. Festival review. The Coens turn to a zany Hollywood lark that proves uneven but remains engrossing and funny due to its off-kilter energy and Josh Brolin's lead performance. They single out the underlying investigation into finding purpose amid busy, unfulfilling lives. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/hail-caesar-review/5099147.article) ## Sight and Sound — J.M. Tyree and Ben Walters Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2016. The Coens offer a warm-hearted salute to classical Hollywood's technical mastery and capacity for delight through detailed pastiche of multiple genres. They single out the craftsmanship of regular collaborators like Roger Deakins and Carter Burwell. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-hail-caesar) ## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky Rating B-. 4 February 2016. The Coens lampoon religion, communism, and Hollywood with broad strokes and intentional anti-climax, resulting in an overstuffed but occasionally funny grab-bag. The critic singles out the absurd crises of faith and a standout comic set piece involving a director coaching an actor on one line. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-coens-swipe-at-religion-counterculture-and-hollyw-1798186448) ## Film Comment — Violet Lucca Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2016. The critic finds Hail, Caesar! enjoyable for its expert telling and reconfiguration of Hollywood history, but criticizes the Coens for omitting non-white characters and their responses to diversity questions. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/hail-caesar-illusions/) ## The Telegraph — Tim Robey Rating 3/5. 3 March 2016. The Coens' latest is a screwball comedy that stumbles in its execution despite strong pastiche elements and star cameos, feeling more like a string of showstopping set pieces than a cohesive story. It is viewed as a lighter but less successful follow-up to Barton Fink. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/04/14/hail-caesar-review-the-coens-screwball-stumble/) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2016. The star-packed comedy feels overdeliberate and fails to cohere despite brilliant set pieces. The critic singles out the Channing Tatum tap-dance number and water ballet as fabulous highlights that stand on their own. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2016/02/movie-review-hail-caesar.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2016. The Coen brothers' comedy about 1950s Hollywood struggles to take off and delivers only intermittent pleasures. The critic singles out the portrayal of studio fixer Eddie Mannix as a righteous man in a corrupt world and praises the Channing Tatum sailor dance number as a highlight. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hail-caesar-film-review-860214/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2016. The Coens return to Hollywood with a sly, off-center comedy set against the studio system machinery, offering more than it first appears in its exploration of God, ideology, art, and entertainment. It is one of their typical diversions between major works, with familiar funny bits that may appeal mainly to fans of classic movies. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/movies/hail-caesar-review-coen-brothers-george-clooney.html) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 4 February 2016. The Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! is a messy but affectionate look at Hollywood's absurdities and its enduring power as cinema. It excels in bit parts and standout performances like Alden Ehrenreich's, while pondering the future of movies. [Read the review](https://collider.com/hail-caesar-review-coen-brothers-george-clooney/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2016. The critic praises the film as a sly, wickedly funny homage to early 1950s Hollywood, highlighting the Coens' spot-on send-ups of various film genres and the superb cast performances, especially the musical numbers and standout turns by Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, and Tilda Swinton. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2016/02/hail-caesar-review-george-clooney-scarlett-johansson-coen-brothers-hollywood-movie-review-1201696173/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 3 February 2016. The film is a sardonic love letter to Hollywood that pays tribute to classic movies while exposing their phoniness, but suffers from an all-over-the-place narrative. It excels in celebrating movie magic through homages like water ballets and dance numbers, anchored by Josh Brolin's fixer character. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-coen-brothers-hail-caesar-starring-josh-brolin-george-clooney-scarlett-johansson-tilda-swinton-and-more-20160203/) ## Eye for Film — Anne-Katrin Titze Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 2016. Festival review. The critic highlights the loving resurrection of early 1950s Hollywood through rich production design, costumes, and choreography, along with the Coens' infectious fun in mid-century paranoia scenes. The film is seen as all about making glorious pictures with no sarcasm toward the studio system. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/hail-caesar-2016-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2016. Hail, Caesar! is an entertaining comic farce that captures the chaotic business of 1950s Hollywood through its many interwoven plotlines and ironic takes on stardom. It succeeds as light, silly fun but feels too whimsical to register as substantial. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2016/02/film-review-hail-caesar/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 February 2016. Festival review. The critic praises the spot-on spoofs of old Hollywood classics and Alden Ehrenreich's standout performance as the optimistic cowboy actor, while noting the film feels like a pastiche with a barbed political message. The finale is called unsatisfying due to a lack of narrative peril and a clear protagonist. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/hail-caesar-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2016. The critic describes the film as a lighthearted, breezy romp through Golden Age Hollywood that succeeds through wit and flash despite lacking substance, singling out Alden Ehrenreich's hilarious breakout performance and the stylish evocation of the studio era. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/hail-caesar-review-coen-brothers-george-clooney-scarlett-johansson/) ## /Film — Jacob Hall Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 2016. The film is amusing but baffling, a quintessential Coen brothers movie that fits between Barton Fink and A Serious Man while exploring their worldview on movies, faith, and history. Alden Ehrenreich steals the show as the honest cowboy, and the piece appreciates the giddy love for Hollywood despite its opacity. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/542540/hail-caesar-review/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 2.5/5. 3 February 2016. The critic sees it as a light, insubstantial palate cleanser with fun set pieces and a great cast, but finds it fails to cohere or land jokes effectively, resulting in something mildly enjoyable but ultimately a footnote. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hail-caesar-review/) ## Paste — Jim Vorel Rating 6.4. 3 February 2016. The film is a fleeting ensemble comedy with many stars but little cohesion, though some performances like Fiennes, Swinton, and Ehrenreich shine. It is blandly enjoyable in spurts but doesn't quite gel. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/hail-caesar-review) ## Digital Spy — Ben Rawson-Jones Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2016. The critic notes some funny and visually splendid moments but finds the film disjointed and lacking emotional connection or dramatic stakes, leaving viewers disconnected despite strong industry insights and spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a785262/hail-caesar-review-the-coens-fail-to-connect-in-latest-lavish-caper/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/hail-caesar.md