A Serious Man

Play trailer

A Serious Man

R,

2009,

1h 45m,

Comedy/

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Stream Now

Watchlist

89%

221 Reviews

Tomatometer

68%

50,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

221 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor at a 1960s university, but his life is coming apart at the seams. His wife (Sari Lennick) is leaving him, his jobless brother (Richard Kind) has moved in, and someone is trying to sabotage his chances for tenure. Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis, but whether anyone can help him overcome his many afflictions remains to be seen.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Stream

Prime Video

Watch A Serious Man with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango, or buy on Fandango.

Critics Consensus

Blending dark humor with profoundly personal themes, the Coen brothers deliver what might be their most mature -- if not their best -- film to date.

Read Critics Reviews

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Aug 30, 2018

Does have its delicious moments and Michael Stuhlbarg does give an excellent, exasperated, frazzled lead performance... But without any warmth or expansiveness it all seems too cruelly easy and shrivelling somehow.

Go to Full Review

Ed Koch

The Atlantic

Jan 17, 2018

The entire script is a mishmash: funny, droll, and anxiety producing, just like daily life in many Jewish families.

Go to Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 11, 2017

B

See this movie for a good laugh, and know that no matter what's going on in your life, A Serious Man proves things can certainly get worse.

Go to Full Review

Dan Bayer

Next Best Picture

Apr 11, 2025

10/10

With “A Serious Man,” Joel and Ethan Coen reached back into their past and deep into their souls to deliver something so personal that it could only become universal.

Go to Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

Jan 4, 2025

It is as if the Coen Brothers are suggesting that the meaning of life is not in the answers that the story provides, but the immersion and joy of the story.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mar 20, 2022

4/4

A tremendously complicated, intelligent, and intriguing motion picture, and arguably the Coen brothers' best, A Serious Man is curious as a narrative but wholly momentous as a parable.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Finn S

Jan 11, 2019

Another epic from Coen Brothers!

George M

Dec 23, 2018

An incredibly odd film, "A Serious Man" will fascinate its audience with its unorthodox approach of storytelling, drawing you closer with every second of watching. This is definitely worth a watch.

See more

Rey S

Dec 21, 2018

This movie has so much philosophical and moral depth, sticking with you long after the credits roll. This is one of the Coen Brothersâ(TM) best movies to date.

See more

Harry L

Dec 18, 2018

Coen Brothers' "A Serious Man" is indeed not a laugh-out-loud type of where it will always make you laugh. But, this film makes you laugh more sarcastically if you understand the real essence. Overall, this film is so random. There is an event here, there, and at the same time. It's a satire of our life and looking closely at our ambiguity real life. We try to find but we cannot. We do nothing but we got the hit. Simply, "A Serious Man" makes you ask questions and understand life from the other side. Michael Stuhlbarg is amazing. Likewise with other actors. The film closes with a big question and what the symbol means. The Book of Job quotes, "help me." There are so many paradoxes and parables.

See more

Leia M

Dec 6, 2018

Can't a guy ever get a break?

Han S

Oct 6, 2018

An astute, unorthodox Jewish farce, A Serious Man yields an absurd yet intriguing story on the psyche of a Midwestern physics teacher as we see him try to make sense of life's turmoil-all carried brilliantly with the help of a smart script, bizarre humor, excellent performances, and outstanding cinematography by Roger Deakins.

See more

Read all reviews

Joel Coen

Director

Ethan Coen

Director

Michael Stuhlbarg

Larry Gopnik

Richard Kind

Uncle Arthur

Fred Melamed

Sy Ableman

Sari Lennick

Judith Gopnik

View more videos

Somewhere

71%

48%

Somewhere

Watchlist

A Single Man

86%

81%

A Single Man

Watchlist

In a Better World

77%

86%

In a Better World

Watchlist

Beginners

86%

77%

Beginners

Watchlist

The Kids Are All Right

93%

74%

The Kids Are All Right

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor at a 1960s university, but his life is coming apart at the seams. His wife (Sari Lennick) is leaving him, his jobless brother (Richard Kind) has moved in, and someone is trying to sabotage his chances for tenure. Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis, but whether anyone can help him overcome his many afflictions remains to be seen.

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Producer: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Screenwriter: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Relativity Media, Studio Canal, Working Title Films, Focus Features
Rating: R (Language|Brief Violence|Some Nudity)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 2, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.2M
Runtime: 1h 45m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings