John Turturro, The Coen Brothers And Especially John Goodman Are All In Top-Notch Form In Barton Fink

One of the most realistic depictions I've ever seen of being a writer came from, of all places, a SpongeBob SquarePants episode entitled Procrastination depicting the shows titular lead character trying to get an essay about red lights done for his boating class. What constantly gets in his way is his own inability to concentrate, SpongeBob keeps on finding new reasons for him to delay doing his essay, whether it's doing stretches or cleaning his kitchen until it's all shiny and chrome. It's a brilliantly funny episode in and of itself (so many of those classic SpongeBob episodes are) but it especially resonates with me as an accurate depiction of how hard it can be to focus on actually getting writing done.

Similarly accurate in its depiction of how writers struggle to get even the most basic acts of writing done is the 1991 Coen Brothers movie Barton Fink. The title refers to a New York playwright (John Turturro) whose newest play is drumming up notices so positive that he's recruited to come to Hollywood and work for Jack Lipnick's (Michael Lerner) movie studio. Lipnick is enamored with Fik and wants him to write a wrestling motion picture for the studio despite Fink openly expressing complete unfamiliarity with the subgenre of wrestling cinema. But this is the assignment Fink has been handed and now he's got to complete it while residing in a crummy hotel that places him next door to cheery insurance salesman Charlie Meadows (John Goodman).

Fink's quest to just finish this script takes him through a fascinating and heavily allegorical journey touching on all sorts of woes that writers and human beings in general experience like the disappointment of realizing your heroes are flawed human beings or the crushing agony of having work you poured your heart and soul into get ripped apart. Despite the fact that writer/directors Joel and Ethan Coen make their living as writers, the duo do not approach the figure of a writer with inherent reverence in their screenplay for Barton Fink. Barton Fink is a quintessential "Serious Artist", a New York playwright who seeks to make serious art commenting on the human condition. But that occupation and goal do not inherently make him a good or bad person, what defines him is his complex behavior towards other. 

For instance, he has noble intentions in his writing relating to telling stories about everyday individuals, but Fink also tends to ignore the people (like Charlie Meadows) he claims his writing is supposed to be championing. Joel and Ethan Coen understand from their own experiences in making movies what motivates Fink as a screenwriter but they're using this feature as an empathetic critique of a character that could only exist in their own directorial efforts like Wes Anderson's masterwork Rushmore. Going this route works out for the best both for the character of Barton Fink and the movie he headlines as does the other distinctive choice of frequently incorporating stylized touches in the hotel Fink resides in that reflect his inner psychological condition.

The Coen Brothers have shown a unique talent for knowing how to bring in heightened elements into grounded storytelling (like that A Serious Man ending that I'll always champion as being brilliant) and that's clearly on display in Barton Fink which sees the lead character dealing with peeling wallpaper, mosquitoes, and a corpse. Not only do such elements do a great job of being clever visual manifestations of Barton Fink's internal problems, but they're also just entertaining to watch unfold, almost as entertaining, in fact, as John Goodman's outstanding performance as Charlie Meadows. In a movie that's brimming with phenomenal details and aspects, Goodman's work here might just rise to the top in my book to become the best part of Barton Fink. 

The quietly versatile Goodman gets to shine in portraying a figure of happy-go-lucky assuredness that contrasts sharply with the constantly uncertain and paranoid nature of Barton Fink. Goodman wraps up his dialogue in a convincing as heck portrayal of "Aw Shucks!" homespun kindness that feels truly unlike anything else he's done in his numerous top-caliber performances in other Coen Brothers works, especially when Goodman gets to go to different darker places in the third act with equal levels of commitment and success on his part. Like so many parts of Barton Fink, to what degree the figure of Charlie Meadows actually exists in reality is up for debate  (I really don't think that's important, to be honest), but what is certain is that Goodman does sublime work here that ranks up there with one of his best cinematic performances.

Fellow Coen Brothers regular John Turturro is also doing great work here, Turturro is no stranger to playing figures plagued by insecurity and it's no surprise he's always called on to play those type of roles given his work here that, like the writing of the Coen Brothers, lends fresh layers to the archetype of a beleaguered writer. Turturro is particularly great in the final few scenes of the feature, one of which see's him getting chewed out by Jack Lipnick and the other seeing him trying to get some semblance of peace and tranquility. Such scenes have Turturro subtly conveying his characters internal thoughts in a way that just crushes the viewer, particularly in the final scene of the entire film that sees Fink trying but failing to chase the sense of peace he's been running after for so long. Barton Fink is a man who constantly chases after things (a fulfilling script, peace, a suitable mentor figure) that don't just elude him but vanish before his very eyes, rendering his whole chase a futile process. He's also a fictional character that starred in one of the best Coen Brothers directorial efforts!