2013. Rated R.
Favorite Quote: If it was never new, and it never gets old, then it’s a folk song.
Inside Llewyn Davis – CBS Films
The Coen brothers never fail. Really, I mean, tell me a time they did?
I saw this movie with friends, and we all walked away thinking different things. We had different opinions about how good it was, and about the characters specifically. Heres my take: Llewyn (Oscar Issac) was a tragic character, and I liked him. Based on the real life Dave Van Gronk, Inside Llewyn Davis shows us a glimpse of the life of a struggling musician in Greenwich Village trying to make the folk scene of 1961 a bigger thing than it was.
Llewyn is down on his luck, down on his money, and at the end of the line. He’s given everything he has to his music. He’s written the songs, he’s a better than average guitar player and he’s got the look down.
Llewyn just falls down over and over and life continues to kick him when he’s down there. His successful duet is long over, he has no home, no money, and no interest in playing the songs that people are interested in hearing. He’s peddling his new album and trying, scraping, to get it into peoples ears. Nobody cares though, plain and simple.
The List:
- The People
We see lots of personalities in this period peace. Other folk singers, mostly, and the extra folks in Llewyn’s life. We see him interact with more successful musicians, record producers, club owners, women, family, strangers, a good group of observers to his plight. When I left the movie, I realized that I maybe was the only one sympathetic to his plight, though. None of the characters feel for him, and besides a few minor exceptions, none of the people he meets really care about his struggles and desires. What kills you is that the guy can play, his music is wonderful (again, most of the songs are originals from Dave Van Gronk).
Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Max Cassella and Garrett Hedlund all put in a good effort in this film. All actors I liked to begin with, too.
- The Cats
Llewyn has a quality that is a little understated, but upon really reflecting it became more clear to me.It’s really more of a downfall, I guess. You are always hoping in the film that something is going to go his way. He’s going to get the deal, they are going to sign him, he’s going to get the gig, the girl, some money, some luck… something.
The thing is, whenever he’s adjusted to something bad that’s happening, life kicks him. He likes a girl, but she doesn’t like him. He has a good showing on a club stage, but right when he gets off stage, someone cold clocks him in an alley out back. Stuff like that. Everything he touches kinda turns to mud. He continues to let people down, leave people in a bind, or require assistance over and over.
Even the cats. We see him forsake a cat by losing it in the city, then we see him kidnap a second cat thinking its the first, it goes on and on with different cats. Kinda odd. He eventually finds himself at a crossroads with the final cat. I think he did the right thing, but I won’t give everything away. You see for yourself, and let me know.
- The Tunes
The music is the backstory really, it sets the scene. The times where Llewyn is at his best is when he’s singing, not talking. The songs are great and we see what the culture was really like for people in this industry at that time. Bob Dylan wasn’t the superstar he would become yet, so the country wasn’t hungry for this type of music. Dave Van Gronk was ahead of his time, and we see his story brought to life through the character of Llewyn Davis, and really get to see the behind the music.
It’s a sad song, quite simply, but just really well acted. The music is a reflection of what’s happening. It worked great. You know the drill go on down to the Library and bring home a copy to watch tonight.
