"Inside Llewyn Davis" Review

Inside Llewyn Davis

4 out of 5 stars


Family appropriateness rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Rated R
Strong language throughout including the f-word in both sexual and non-sexual contexts.







At first glance, "Inside Llewyn Davis" seems like an anti-climactic version of "The Pursuit of Happyness," but it is deeper than that.

Oscar Isaac plays the title character, a beaten-down folk singer who is doing what he can to survive. Though he has a contract with a record company, he is not making any money from it. He is so poor, that he does not have a place to stay. Living the nomadic lifestyle, he is constantly going place to place each night.

There are a few people who regularly let him stay, including a musical couple, Jean (Carey Mulligan) and Jim (Justin Timberlake), and an upper-middle class couple, Mitch (Ethan Phillips) and Lillian (Robin Bartlett) Gorfein.

Part of the film is about his interactions with these people, but it is also about how he tries to get out of the not-having-money rut he is in. He goes to Chicago to see if he could get a deal with producer Bud Grossman (F. Murray Abraham). Two other people ride there with him: Roland Turner (John Goodman), a rude old music performer and Johnny Five (Garret Hedlund). Turner is easily my favorite character in the movie. He is quirky, and a lot of what he says, while incredibly rude, is hilarious.

Oscar Isaac in the lead is very believable in all of his scenes. He has a certain laid-back quality to him, but there is a lot more to his character than that. He sees himself as a professional musician, and the movie does a good job showing what makes him tick. It explains why he does not just make his life easier by choosing a different career.

All of the actors do great except for one: Carey Mulligan as Jean. She is very mean to him. There is good reason for this, but her meanness is a little over-the-top. While it is entertaining to watch, it does not seem very believable, and it takes me out of the movie.

There is no question that the writing is very well done, and the pacing is very even. There are no moments that seem faster or slower than others. It is consistent. A majority of the scenes are dialogue-based, but it is often witty and entertaining.

The movie is very enjoyable to watch, but the storyline is a little confusing. The events are simple enough, but the reasoning behind all of what happens is not very apparent. I had to see it twice before doing this review. The first time, I was not sure what to think. My expectations were that it would be like "The Pursuit of Happyness," in which nothing works out for the main character until the very end. However, that is not at all what this movie is about.

Watching it the second time, I thought that maybe it is about why things do not work out for Llewyn. I did a little research, and I think that is more what the Coen brothers — who wrote and directed the movie — were going for. However, I still do not think that is completely what it is about.

There is an article I read in "The New Yorker" that outlines why all the characters are important. Both times I saw this film, I thought Roland Turner and Johnny Five were completely random, but after reading the article, it made a little more sense why they are there. A link can be found here: "The New Yorker" article. Just a warning, it has spoilers, so be sure to see the movie before you read it.

That is partly what makes this movie great. Not everything is given to the audience. In order to understand the intention of the filmmakers, it requires thought and discussion. The best movies are ones that are unforgettable and that is how this is.

Those who do not wish to see a movie they may not understand completely, may be interested in the music. There are several scenes depicting performances by the characters. The word to describe all of the songs is "chill." It is easy-listening, folk music that creates a relaxing atmosphere. Writing this review, I have had several of the songs stuck in my head. Had I completely hated this film, I would have definitely recommended the soundtrack.

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