A Serious Man (2009)

Last updated:
September 4, 2025

The Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man (2009) is a darkly comic exploration of faith, suffering, and the search for meaning in a chaotic universe. Both philosophical and deeply absurd, the film plays like a modern-day Book of Job reimagined in a Midwestern suburb in the late 1960s.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Opening: A Folk Tale in Yiddish

The film begins with a strange prologue, a Yiddish folktale about a couple who may or may not have encountered a dybbuk (a wandering spirit). This scene is not directly explained in the rest of the film, but thematically sets the stage for uncertainty, superstition, and the question of whether misfortune is random or fated.

Larry Gopnik’s Life Falls Apart

We are introduced to Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a physics professor living in suburban Minnesota. Larry is a decent, mild-mannered man, but his life begins to unravel:

His wife Judith wants a divorce, claiming she is leaving him for their family friend Sy Ableman.
His children are indifferent to him, absorbed in their own problems—his son Danny owes money for pot, while his daughter Sarah obsesses over her hair.
A disgruntled student, Clive, tries to bribe Larry for a better grade, then threatens him with a lawsuit for defamation when Larry refuses.
Larry’s brother Arthur, who is unemployed and troubled, is staying with the family and attracting legal trouble.

Larry attempts to remain calm, but the more he tries to impose order, the more disorder seems to find him.

Seeking Answers from the Rabbis

Desperate, Larry turns to his faith for guidance. He seeks help from three rabbis, each encounter increasingly absurd:

Rabbi Scott gives simplistic platitudes about looking at life’s “parking lot.”
Rabbi Nachtner tells him an elaborate story about a dentist who found Hebrew letters inscribed on a patient’s teeth, only to conclude the story with no explanation, frustrating Larry.
Rabbi Marshak, the senior rabbi whom Larry has long sought, refuses to see him. Only at the very end of the film does Marshak briefly speak—to Larry’s son, not Larry himself.

The Temptation of the Neighbor

Larry’s attractive neighbor, Mrs. Samsky, introduces another temptation. She smokes marijuana with him and flirts, though their relationship never fully develops. This subplot symbolizes Larry’s longing for escape from his rigid, collapsing life.

The Legal and Professional Strain

Larry is also under review for tenure at his university. Anonymous letters have been sent to the tenure committee accusing him of misconduct, putting his career in jeopardy. Meanwhile, his legal bills pile up as he tries to deal with his divorce and Arthur’s problems.

Movie Ending

In the final act, events escalate rapidly:

Larry receives good news: the tenure committee has decided in his favor, despite the anonymous complaints.
Almost immediately, he receives a call from his doctor with ominous news: results from a recent medical test look very serious.
At the same time, his son Danny is at Hebrew school preparing for his bar mitzvah. Afterward, Danny meets Rabbi Marshak, who simply quotes Jefferson Airplane’s song lyric, “When the truth is found to be lies, and all the joy within you dies,” before returning Danny’s confiscated transistor radio.
The film closes with Danny standing outside the school with his friends as a massive tornado approaches. His teacher struggles to get the children inside while Danny looks directly at the oncoming storm.

The movie ends abruptly, leaving viewers suspended in uncertainty: Will Larry die from illness? Will the tornado destroy everything? Is there meaning in these events, or are they simply random? The Coens provide no answers, underscoring the film’s central theme: the universe does not explain itself.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, A Serious Man does not feature a post-credits scene. The abrupt, unresolved ending is deliberate and consistent with the Coens’ style—rolling credits only amplify the existential unease.

Type of Movie

The film is a dark comedy-drama with heavy philosophical undertones. It mixes absurd humor with existential dread, characteristic of the Coen Brothers’ unique storytelling.

Cast

Michael Stuhlbarg as Larry Gopnik
Richard Kind as Arthur Gopnik
Sari Lennick as Judith Gopnik
Fred Melamed as Sy Ableman
Aaron Wolff as Danny Gopnik
Jessica McManus as Sarah Gopnik
Amy Landecker as Mrs. Samsky

Film Music and Composer

The soundtrack is sparse but deliberate. Classical pieces, Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love”, and traditional Jewish liturgical music all appear. The Coens did not commission an original score; instead, they curated music to highlight the tension between Larry’s suburban reality and the chaos within him.

Filming Locations

The movie was filmed in Minnesota, mainly around Minneapolis and Bloomington. The suburban setting is crucial—it reflects the stifling normalcy of Larry’s environment, which contrasts sharply with his escalating crises. The tornado scene was shot using a mix of practical weather effects and CGI.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards
Nominated for Best Original Screenplay (Joel & Ethan Coen)
Michael Stuhlbarg received widespread critical acclaim, though no Oscar nomination
Featured on numerous critics’ top 10 lists of 2009

Behind the Scenes Insights

The Coens based the story loosely on their own childhoods in 1960s Jewish Minnesota suburbs.
Many of the actors were relatively unknown at the time, chosen to enhance realism.
The tornado ending was inspired by the Coens’ childhood fear of Midwestern storms.
The opening Yiddish prologue was filmed entirely separately and has no explicit connection to the rest of the narrative—intentionally.

Inspirations and References

The Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible, with Larry as a modern Job figure.
Jewish folklore, seen in the dybbuk story at the beginning.
1960s counterculture (Jefferson Airplane lyrics, the marijuana subplot).

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no known alternate endings—the Coens wrote the ambiguous storm ending early and stuck with it. Some minor deleted scenes exist, mainly expanding side characters, but nothing that changes the narrative’s thrust.

Book Adaptations and Differences

A Serious Man is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen, though heavily inspired by biblical texts and their own Midwestern upbringing.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The Yiddish folktale opening with the possible dybbuk.
Larry meeting Rabbi Nachtner, who tells the inscrutable “goose story” about the dentist.
Danny’s bar mitzvah ceremony, shown through the hazy perspective of a stoned teenager.
The final tornado approaching as Larry learns of his medical crisis.

Iconic Quotes

Rabbi Marshak: “When the truth is found to be lies, and all the joy within you dies…”
Larry: “I’ve tried to be a serious man.”
Sy Ableman: “We’re going to be fine.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The opening parable may hint that Larry’s family is “cursed,” though this is never confirmed.
The Hebrew letters on the patient’s teeth in the rabbi’s story spell out “Help me.”
Jefferson Airplane’s lyrics serve as a philosophical chorus for the film.

Trivia

Michael Stuhlbarg was relatively unknown before this role, which launched his career.
The tornado was digitally created by the same effects company that worked on No Country for Old Men.
The Coens admitted they never explained the folktale opening even to the cast.

Why Watch?

If you appreciate films that mix dark humor, philosophy, and the absurdity of daily life, A Serious Man is essential. It challenges viewers to confront uncertainty and to laugh at the randomness of suffering. It’s unsettling, funny, and deeply thought-provoking all at once.

A Serious Man (2009)