It's interesting to note, having read some of the comments posted here that cinema does have an influence on people's lives. How could anyone explain why Hudsucker Proxy made some people so enthusiastic unless it be that it reminded them of It's a Wonderfyl Life? Capra's movie was seriously overrated because there is a need around the Christmas holiday for people to feel good, be close to their families and friends and so on, things they generally do bad or unconvincingly around the year. The 40's and 50's which inspired this movie had something that the Coen's didn't have: a good crew of actors. <br /><br />How can anybody compare Gary Cooper, Carry Grant or Jimmy Stewart with Tim Robbins?His character is badly written. What should I think of him otherwise that he is an imbecile "with a heart". I am appalled at this cliché Hollywood has been throwing at us for decades with the dumb guy that manages to teach the bad guys a lesson, get the girl and save the day. Are we to think that Hollywood encourages people towards tolerance? Don't make me laugh. The story doesn't manage to be more than trivial but some people like it because they are conditioned by years and years of watching junk in the cinema that this is what a masterpiece should look like. <br /><br />The story is trivial and the fantastic element is embarrassing even for a kids movie, something this could never be given the tendency of most everybody to commit suicide. <br /><br />The acting is awful, but considering the actors didn't have what to play it's understandable. Tim Robbins is nothing more than a cartoon. What do we know about his feelings, about his background...about him as a HUMAN BEING? He is just a Hollywood cliché supposed to be funny and prompt sympathy. I think Tom and Jerry had more humanity than him. Paul Newman was unbelievable...in a bad way. I don't understand what was in his mind that made him accept this part. He made some good movies in his life, did he really need the money. maybe a subscription for retired actors would have suited him better.<br /><br />Having seen all the Coen's movies I am left with a bitter taste after this one. Astonishing pair of movie maker, sometimes lamentably fails... Hey even Orson Welles or Kubrick had their drawbacks. This shouldn't discourage anyone from enjoying their movies (I recommend Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink and Fargo). However, seeing their more recent productions such as Intolerable Cruealty or The Man Who Wsn't There I have to notice that their talent seems to slowly go down the drain and maybe they just got lucky a few times. Who knows, I hope not. Maybe they'll give us another Blood Simple.