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Greek Tragedy, the Depresssion and a group of convicted felons make for two things: a classic Coen Brother flick and the most entertaining movie of the year.

When you walk into any film by the Coen Brother's, you walk into a slightly skewed cultural snapshot, quirky plotlines, weathered characters and cinematography that is just that little bit at odds with everything you've ever seen.

Go with it though. This isn't quirkiness in the David Lynch (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks) style, this is Coen quirkiness and it's all their own. Accessible, funny and with a human side that even the most true-to-life, straight-as-they-come tear jerker could never muster.

O Brother Where Art Thou is the story of The Odyssey, retold in 1920's America. It's the story of Everett Ulysses McGill (George Clooney) and his compadres Pete Hogwallop (John Turturo) and Delmar O'Donnel (Tim Blake Nelson) as they run from the law in a bid to find their hidden treasure.

If you haven't guessed it already, we're in the Deep South with this one. And all the straw chewing, wood whittling and banjo playing in the world won't save you now. The forces of fate have conspired to make you watch as Clooney and Co. run through the tightest hoops a story ever had. Beautiful women, music stardom and a congregation of Baptists are just some of the terrible trials these criminal must face before they can be redeemed.

But redeemed they are. Or at least George Clooney is as he finally makes up for Batman & Robin, One Fine Day and The Peacemaker. The Coen Brothers have worked wonders and he matches up to the rest of the typically strong cast.

O Brother takes us somewhere special and it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. Maybe it's the cast, maybe it's the direction or the wonderful landscapes or beautiful soundtrack. Maybe, in the end, it's nothing more than a cow on an old tin roof.

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