Originally Posted by 3alarmer

...it could be depressing if you let it. Certainly it is set in a very bleak, New York winter.

I think I just so identified with a lot of it from back in my 60's-70's starving artist days that
I came near to peeing myself with laughter in a couple of places. But the Coens are not noted
for upbeat films. This was probably the only one of their movies i've seen that lacked both
violence and blood. It's just really hilarious if you've ever tried to make a living at the arts.