Oscar Isaac Carey Mulligan Justin
Timberlake Adam
Driver John
Goodman
Inside
Llewyn Davis reminds me a bit of Burn
after Reading, also by the Coen brothers, in which there is little about
the main characters to sympathize with.
In the earlier film, there is more humor, which softens the impact, but
there is little humor in the former.
Rather than humor, Davis’ music is the softening agent to his abrasive
personality. Davis’ lack of social
graces or even a smidgen of empathy for others is self-destructive, and thwarts
his drive to become an employed, popular artist. The Coens created this character to tell a story about “real
songs by made-up people”, according to Oscar Isaac, who plays the title role,
and T-Bone Burnet, the music producer and composer, in a Q&A session after
the screening of the film at the Austin Film Festival.
Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk singer in
Greenwich Village in New York in the early sixties. He has become homeless, and must borrow sofas for the night
among his few friends—who are remarkable in their forgiveness of his obnoxious
behavior in their homes. One is a
former lover (Carey Mulligan) who lives with her husband (Justin Timberlake)
and is furious with him for good reason (a very different role for Mulligan,
which she aces). Another is a
music professor and his wife with a lovely cat, which, in Coen playfulness,
holds its own as a star at times.
Davis has no apprehension in the least about asking friends he has just
met at these friends’ homes to sleep on their couch from time to time.
A relief from these trying moments comes when
Davis picks up his guitar. The
music is the complete opposite of his personality—soulful, creative, vibrant—which
is a curious juxtaposition. Nor
surprisingly, the imminently prolific, award-winning T-Bone Barnet is
responsible for the success of the music, many of which are classics based on
Dave van Ronk’s renditions, such as “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me”, and “Dink’s Song –
Fare Thee Well”, and one of which he composed (“Please Mr. Kennedy”). Apparently, the whole film is
loosely—very loosely—based on Van Ronk’s memoir.
Another significant part of the success of the
music is Oscar Isaac’s performances.
Because the Coen brothers wanted the film to be similar to a
documentary, Isaac spent long hours before filming, perfecting his sound to be
as close to Van Ronk’s as possible.
He was required to perform each song during a single take to give it the
documentary quality. In addition,
his portrayal of the character during the entire film is remarkably good.
The music is really what saves this film from
complete despair. There are
moments intended to be funny, such as the John Goodman role, or a countrywoman
singer with a dulcimer, or Davis’ interactions with the cat, but I found them
more pathetic than humorous.
Others may find them genuinely funny, however.
I am a huge Coen brothers fan, and although Inside Llewyn Davis is not quite to my
taste, the music and acting are most impressive.
A story about real songs by made-up
people.
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