Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Back
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro
Michael Stuhlbarg in A Serious Man (2009)

FAQ

A Serious Man

FAQ



    Although the film was written, produced, and directed by American film-making brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, the story is loosely based on the Old Testament Book of Job.



    The film is set in June 1967. There are a number of anachronisms in the film, most notably the reference to the albums Abraxas by Santana and Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival which weren't released until 1970.



    Probably. Earlier in the movie the letters were referred to as being eloquently written by a native English speaker, and Sy does seem to have an eloquent way with words throughout the film. However, at one point after Sy dies in a car crash, Larry is told that the tenure committee is still receiving the denigrating letters. This could point to someone other than Sy writing the letters, or it could just mean that Sy wrote them before his death and it simply took a few days for them to be delivered. Since the time between Sy's death and Larry being told that the committee is still receiving letters is only a few days at most, it seems very possible that Sy did indeed write the letters. Also, during Danny's bar mitzvah, Judith mentions to Larry that Sy had such respect for him and had written letters to the tenure committee.



    goy: non-Jewish

    hashem: literally "the name"; a euphemism for God, used in ordinary conversation in which the name "God" itself is inappropriate.

    dybbuk: In Jewish folklore, a dybbuk is usually a spirit which inhabits the body of a living person so that the soul can complete its function; however, here it is presented as a dead man somehow come to life.

    rabbi: Jewish religious teacher whose activities (at least in recent centuries) are similar to those of a Protestant pastor

    get: document granting a divorce; required if one is to remarry in the faith

    bar mitzvah: meaning "one to whom the commandments apply"; a boy of 13 who participates in the synagogue service for the first time as an adult.



    The opening in which a wife stabs a man supposed to be dead, believing he is a dybbuk (evil spirit in Jewish mythology), is according to the Coens just supposed to establish the tone of the movie. "We thought a little self-contained story would be an appropriate introduction for this movie. Since we didn't know any suitable Yiddish folk tales, we made one up," they said. Roger Ebert offered an alternative interpretation that the scene was the origin of a curse.

Alexa top questions

Powered by Alexa
  • How long is A Serious Man?
    1 hour and 46 minutes
  • When was A Serious Man released?
    November 6, 2009
  • What is the IMDb rating of A Serious Man?
    7 out of 10
  • Who stars in A Serious Man?
    Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, and Sari Lennick
  • Who wrote A Serious Man?
    Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
  • Who directed A Serious Man?
    Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
  • Who was the composer for A Serious Man?
    Carter Burwell
  • Who was the producer of A Serious Man?
    Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
  • Who was the executive producer of A Serious Man?
    Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Robert Graf
  • Who was the cinematographer for A Serious Man?
    Roger Deakins
  • Who was the editor of A Serious Man?
    Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
  • Who are the characters in A Serious Man?
    Larry Gopnik, Uncle Arthur, Sy Ableman, Judith Gopnik, Danny Gopnik, Sarah Gopnik, Mr. Brandt, Mitch Brandt, Clive Park, Danny's Reefer Buddy, and others
  • What is the plot of A Serious Man?
    Larry Gopnik, a Midwestern physics teacher, watches his life unravel over multiple sudden incidents. Despite seeking meaning and answers amidst his turmoils, he seems to keep sinking.
  • What was the budget for A Serious Man?
    $7 million
  • How much did A Serious Man earn at the worldwide box office?
    $31.4 million
  • How much did A Serious Man earn at the US box office?
    $9.23 million
  • What is A Serious Man rated?
    R
  • What genre is A Serious Man?
    Comedy, Comedy Drama, and Drama
  • How many awards has A Serious Man won?
    17 awards
  • How many awards has A Serious Man been nominated for?
    97 nominations

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More from this title

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb App
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.