O Brother, Where Art Thou?

A classic by the Coen brothers

O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 film by Joel and Ethan Coen. The story is set in Mississippi in the 1930s and follows three escaped prisoners on their journey through the Deep South of the United States. The film is loosely based on Homer's Odyssey , but tells the story in a quirky, humorous way.

George Clooney as modern-day Odysseus

George Clooney plays Ulysses Everett McGill, a self-important con artist who tries to find a fortune alongside the naive Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) and the hot-tempered Pete (John Turturro). Along the way, they encounter recognizable figures from Greek mythology: seductive sirens, a cyclops, and a diabolical sheriff.

Music as a common thread

Music plays a major role in the film. The three main characters accidentally form a country band, The Soggy Bottom Boys, and score a hit. T-Bone Burnett composed the atmospheric soundtrack full of bluegrass, gospel, and old-time country. The music gives the film its unique character.