I will be up front with you all: I have a bit of a soft spot for unconventional storytelling. That is not to say that a film deserves a free pass for being different or playing around within a genre; On the contrary, many movies have been made with the intent of breaking new ground only to come off as pretentious or underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the Coen brothers have succeeded for years now in putting abstract concepts on the silver screen, and “Hail, Caesar!” is no different, though I cannot help but feel that it may throw off the mainstream movie-going audience.

It took looking back at the brothers’ filmography to find a comedy they have written and directed similar to this one. Though many of their films contain comedic elements, I would say that “Hail, Caesar!” is closer to “Burn After Reading” (2008) and “The Big Lebowski” (1998) than the more recent “True Grit” (2010) or “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013) in terms of straight comedy, but even those comparisons seem off given how varied the Coens’ track record is.

At its core, “Hail, Caesar!” is the story of Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), a “fixer” in the 1950s film industry who faces conflict when an actor client of his, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) disappears from the set of an upcoming production, Hail Caesar! What follows is a slew of film and business hijinks filled with Communist conspiracies, sex scandals, production problems and lovingly crafted homages to 50s cinema.

Before I get too in depth, I want to mention how pleased I was when I discovered that “Hail, Caesar!” is a historical comedy. I cannot think of any recent hit movies within this genre, so kudos to the cast and crew for the refreshing break from Oscar nominees and fantasy/sci-fi/superhero films.

When I saw who was going to be in this film, I knew I was in for a treat. There is not a single miscast here, and all of the players here do a phenomenal job at representing the era. Even the especially identifiable actors manage to fit in and stand out while they are at it, such as George Clooney as the charismatic “man’s man” actor Baird Whitlock and Channing Tatum as the tap-dancing undercover Communist Burt Gurney.

The Coen Brothers also bring back their usual collaborators Roger Deakins, Mary Zophres and Carter Burwell for the film’s cinematography, costumes and music respectively.

Still, despite the film’s strengths, I am somewhat concerned that “Hail, Caesar!” and its comedy may be a bit too unconventional for the typical filmgoer. When I first saw the movie I was one of three or four other people in the theater, a ridiculously small number even with the location of Charlestowne 18.

To be fair, this is not a typical comedy film, let alone a typical Coen brothers’ affair. With the exception of big musical number involving sailors and a couple of dialogues, the way this narrative is edited together makes it very easy to miss little details, including some great jokes and story elements. Viewers new to the Coen brothers’ work would be much better off starting with “Fargo” (1996) or “The Big Lebowski” for more cohesive storytelling.

But for someone who knows and enjoys Coen brothers’ movies, I can say that the possible inaccessibility of “Hail, Caesar!” is worth it for its intelligent sense of humor, strong cinematography and interesting story structure. With the beginning of this year being filled with big blockbuster hits and action comedies, I am all too happy to embrace the comedic subtleties of another job well done from a talented directing duo and a notable cast and crew.