O Brother Where Art Thou is a somewhat surreal comic adventure.
In that regard, it's pretty typical for the Coen Brothers. Set
in Louisiana in the Great Depression, the eerie, muggy ambience
of that era & location are captured very nicely.
The plot is a very loose adaptation of Homer's odyssey. The time span is greatly compressed from 20 years to a week, and the great epic scope of the journey is toned down, somewhat (although Ulysses does most certainly encounter his fair share of peril). In this version, our protagonists are a trio of petty criminals who have escaped from the chain gang. As they pursue a treasure with the sheriffs in close pursuit, they encounter a wide range of bizarre characters and unpredictable situations. Believable? Not really. Engrossing? Somewhat. Fun? Sure.
George Clooney was charming as Ulysses Everett McGill. He was well-cast for a smooth-talking small-time swindler, although his Depression-era Louisiana accent was much thinner than everybody else's. John Turturro and newcomer Tim Blake Nelson make for a great couple of skinny, dim-witted sidekicks. John Goodman and Holly Hunter head are the most visible among a great bunch of small parts.
Some reviewers had issues with this movie, but I found it to be at least up to the usual Coen Brothers standard. It might not be as strong as Fargo, but it's still quirky, moody and fun: definitely worth watching.