A Serious Man (2009): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
A Serious Man is a 2009 drama directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, starring Richard Kind, Michael Stuhlbarg and Sari Lennick. It runs 1 hour 46 minutes and earned $31.4 million worldwide. It won 1 award from 9 nominations, among them 2 Oscar nominations. Critics gave it 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 46m (106 min)
- Directors
- Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Focus Features
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is A Serious Man About?
The premise of A Serious Man without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In 1967 Minnesota, physics professor Larry Gopnik faces a cascade of misfortunes when his wife leaves him for another man. His life descends into chaos as his unemployed brother moves in, his son rebels, and his daughter resorts to theft. Seeking guidance and a sense of balance, Larry turns to three rabbis, hoping to understand how to become a "serious man" during a time of personal upheaval and broader societal unrest.
A Serious Man Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- rabbi
- jewish
- torah
- synagogue
- teacher
- bar mitzvah
- marital breakup
- goy
- sodomy
- dysfunctional family
- kabbalah
- jew
+38 more Show fewer
- jewish stereotype
- title spoken by character
- marijuana
- physics
- divorce
- lawyer
- minnesota
- bribe
- united states of america
- menorah
- zohar
- south korean
- snowing
- snow
- boys' bathroom
- teenage boy
- marriage
- uncle nephew relationship
- husband wife relationship
- book of job
- midrash
- jacobs ladder
- uncertainty
- insecurity
- marital crisis
- spoiled child
- unhappy marriage
- orthodox jew
- torah study
- record player
- dybbuk
- tsuris
- olam haba
- yarmulke
- hashem
- mazel tov
- shtetl
- mysticism
A Serious Man Cast
Richard Kind leads the cast, with Michael Stuhlbarg and Sari Lennick. Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen.
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Co-director Ethan Coen -
Co-director Joel Coen
More from Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
More films directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, best-rated first: No Country for Old Men, Fargo, Inside Llewyn Davis and Blood Simple.
A Serious Man Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave A Serious Man 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
-
IMDb 7.0 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 89% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 68%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 88 Metascore
User score 7.3
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 67% User score
See on TMDB
A Serious Man Plot Summary
What happens in A Serious Man from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The day of Danny Gopnick’s bar mitzvah arrives, and as he approaches the Torah to read, he experiences a moment of profound stillness, almost as if caught in a trance. His gaze shifts from his family to the Torah, and just when it seems he may falter, he centers himself and begins to chant flawlessly. His parents, Larry and Judith, watch with pride, sharing a moment of reconnection as they hold hands. In a surprising revelation, Judith mentions that Sy, her new partner, always regarded Larry highly and even wrote letters advocating for him to the college tenure board.
Full summary
The whole story of A Serious Man, scene by scene
A Serious Man Box Office
A Serious Man grossed $31.4 million worldwide. $9.2 million came from the US and Canada and $22.2 million (71%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$31.4M
- US & Canada
- $9.2M
- International
- $22.2M
A Serious Man Awards & Nominations
A Serious Man won 1 award from 9 nominations, among them 2 Oscar nominations. Its biggest night was the Spirit Awards 2010, with 1 win from 2 nominations.
1 win9 nominations6 ceremonies
-
Spirit Awards 2010 1 win · 2 nominations- Won Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Director
-
Critics' Choice 2010 2 nominations- Nominated Best Original Screenplay
- Nominated Best Picture
-
Oscars 2010 2 nominations- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Writing (Original Screenplay)
-
Artios Awards 2010 1 nomination- Nominated Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Feature - Studio or Independent Drama
Show all 6 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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BAFTA 2010 1 nomination- Nominated Best Original Screenplay
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Golden Globes 2010 1 nomination- Nominated Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Michael Stuhlbarg
A Serious Man Trailers & Videos
8 videos: 1 trailer, 4 clips, 2 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Clip Living Arrangements Clip
- Clip Sy Ableman Questions Larry’s Uncertainty From Beyond the Grave
- Clip Advice from the Junior Rabbi
- Clip Student Tries to Bribe his Professor
How Well Do You Know A Serious Man?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What significant event does Danny Gopnick experience at the beginning of the film?
Cars in A Serious Man
18 cars on screen, including the 1966 Dodge Coronet and the 1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille.
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1966 Dodge Coronet Important role -
1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Minor role -
1964 Chevrolet Bel Air Minor role -
1968 Dodge Coronet 500 Minor role
A Serious Man Also Known As
27 alternative titles, including “Egy komoly ember” and “正经好人”.
- Also known as
-
- Egy komoly ember
- 正经好人
- 非常憨男离奇失婚
- Ενας Σοβαρός Ανθρωπος
- Un Tipo Serio
- 시리어스 맨
- A
- Um Homem Sério
- Серьёзный человек
- Ciddi Bir Adam
- 严肃的男人
- Seriózní muž
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- Poważny Człowiek
- Ένας Σοβαρός Άνθρωπος
- יהודי טוב
- Zresni se
- Un homme sérieux
- Сериозен човек
- Un tip serios
- Rimtas vyrukas
- Серйозна людина
- 正經好人
- シリアスマン
- Người Đàn Ông Nghiêm Túc
- เฮ้อ..โลกมันเครียด ขอซีเรียสซะให้เข็ด
- Un home seriós
- Un hombre serio
Seen A Serious Man?
Movies Like A Serious Man
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including A Very Serious Person, Half and Solitary Man.
A Serious Man FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of A Serious Man, each answered in a sentence.
How long is A Serious Man?
A Serious Man runs 1 hour 46 minutes (106 minutes).
When was A Serious Man released?
A Serious Man was released on October 2, 2009.
Who directed A Serious Man?
A Serious Man was directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen.
More films by Ethan Coen Who is in the cast of A Serious Man?
A Serious Man stars Richard Kind, Michael Stuhlbarg and Sari Lennick.
How much did A Serious Man make at the box office?
A Serious Man grossed $31.4 million worldwide ($9.2 million domestic, $22.2 million international).
How is A Serious Man rated?
A Serious Man has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88 on Metacritic and 67% on TMDB.
What awards did A Serious Man win?
A Serious Man won 1 award from 9 nominations, including Best Cinematography at the Spirit Awards 2010.
Does A Serious Man have a post-credit scene?
No. A Serious Man has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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