We are big fans of the Coen brothers - and not just because they are hometown heroes, but because they have made a wide array of amazing movies. To list a few: Raising Arizona, Fargo, Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Man Who Wasn't There, No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man, True Grit... and now Inside Llewyn Davis.
The new movie follows suit, in terms of the Coen brothers' quality and distinctive style. There is so much attention to detail in the filmmaking despite the fact that the storytelling is on a grand scale - making the lives of seemingly ordinary people into complex journeys. And amidst the familiar backdrop of ordinary life, you subtly see and feel suspense, anguish, and sometimes magic. And of course, there is wonderful humor.
Llewyn Davis is a compelling character because, throughout the movie, he continually finds himself in unfortunate circumstances and never really escapes them. In some instances you feel sorry for him because he tends to have fairly good intentions, and just a bad lot in life. Other times he is clearly to blame for his misfortune and the misfortune of others, which makes him seem like a careless jerk. I really enjoy when a movie makes you uncertain about how you feel about a character - then the character becomes like a puzzle that you have to try to put together for yourself.
The movie offers several breathtakingly beautiful moments. In a handful of scenes the only action on the screen is Llewyn singing soulful folk songs with his acoustic guitar. I'm a sucker for folk music, but I think that these scenes really capture his humanity. It If you like cats, you will appreciate several scenes in the movie that feature the expressions and movements of an adorable tabby. In this somewhat dark and definitely dreary movie, the cat provided an opportunity for the audience to smile.
Anyway, if you're into Coen brothers movies, folk music, spiteful underdogs, and/or cats, you'll find things about this movie to like. I certainly don't think it is the best Coen brothers movie, and I wouldn't necessarily call it pleasurable to watch in the sense that it isn't a feel-good movie, but I enjoyed it a lot because I liked the character of Llewyn Davis, his story as well as his music. One other note is that the setting of this movie is one of the most romanticized periods in modern American history, and I appreciated that the movie didn't portray it in that typical way.
Movie trailer below:
PS. I got a new job. (!!!!!) More on that soon.
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