5. The Man of Constant Sorrow – O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000)
One of the duo’s most underrated films, O Brother Where Art Thou? is a celebration of all things Coen; razor-sharp writing, sumptuous visuals, beautiful location shoots and above all else, characters who are so poles-apart from normality that they are actually strangely relatable.
As George Clooney, John Tuturro and Tim Blake Nelson’s hillbilly prisoners escape, they stumble upon a blind and wildly racist music producer who offers them a healthy wage for singing in his studio. The trio claim themselves to be the Soggy Bottom Boys and offer a song entitled Man of Constant Sorrow – a swelling and brilliantly lyricized tale of long-lost love and sadness all encased in a ridiculously catchy folk melody. The song is actually sung by Union Station’s Dan Tyminski who is currently riding fame for his work in Avicii’s single Hey Brother.
