Barton Fink

What’s the Story?

Set in the early 1940s, BARTON FINK traces the bizarre foray of its title character (John Turturro) into the dark underbelly of Hollywood. On the heels of a hit play, the playwright heads to Tinseltown to make the big bucks writing a B-wrestling film. Instead of finding success, he finds himself trapped in a bizarre series of events. While struggling with writer's block at a fleabag hotel, Fink strikes up a friendship with a burly and sweaty insurance salesman (John Goodman) with a dark past, present, and future. This friendship -- and everything else Fink comes in contact with -- goes south as a grizzly turn of events leaves him artistically bankrupt and overall aimless.

Is It Any Good?

Barton Fink was the first film to win all three major awards at the Cannes Film Festival -- Palme D'or, Best Director, and Best Actor. In classic Coen style, the film combines eerily wacky characters with offbeat dark scenarios. Cinematography and design elements coalesce to create a world which welcomes the film's larger-than-life characters, odd situations, and quick-paced dialogue.

Turturro uses his awkward appearance and nervous demeanor to create an alienated artist trapped in a hellish Hollywood. John Mahoney's alcoholic genius, Judy Davis's prolific secretary, and Michael Lerner's studio exec help to round out the weird scenario. Learner earned an Academy Award for his performance.