Rated
R (Language including Some Sexual References)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 44 Minutes
Cast-
Oscar
Isaac-Llewyn Davis
Carey
Mulligan-Jean Berkey
Justin
Timberlake-Jim Berkey
John
Goodman-Roland Turner
Garrett
Hedlund-Johnny Five
F.
Murray Abraham-Bud Grossman
Ethan
Phillips-Mitch Gorfein
Robin
Bartlett-Lillian Gorfein
Jeanine
Serralles-Joy
Adam
Driver-Al Cody
Stark
Sands-Troy Nelson
Max
Casella-Pappi Corsicato
Jerry
Grayson-Mel Novikoff
Helen
Hong-Janet Fung
Alex
Karpovsky-Marty Green
Benjamin
Pike-Young Bob Dylan
Directed
by Joel and Ethan Coen
 |
| Oscar Isaac delivers a career-defining performance in the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis." |
Note: Screened on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at Regal Union Square Stadium 14.
'What
do you want to be when you grow up?' If you were to go back in time and ask ten-year-old
me that question, my answer—delivered without any hesitation—would've been
comic book illustrator. I've been an avid comic book reader since I was four-years-old
but despite my intense passion for my hobby, to this day it remains just that: a
hobby. While my mother doesn't conform to the extreme 'Tiger Mom' stereotype exemplified
by the likes of Amy Chua (thank god!), she did want me to pursue a career that at
least provided some measure of financial stability. In her mind, 'comic book
illustrator' wasn't it so she suggested I become a pharmacist instead. I spent
two years in a pre-pharmacy program but as hard as I tried, I just couldn't see
myself as a pill pusher for the rest of my life. I ended up switching my major to
computer engineering at another school and while I don't have any regrets, I sometimes
wonder what would've happened if I had pursued an art career instead. Would I become
a wandering vagabond who spends his nights crashing on the couches of friends and
acquaintances like Llewyn Davis in the Coen brothers' latest film "Inside
Llewyn Davis"? Played by Oscar Isaac, Llewyn (loosely based on real-life
singer/songwriter Dave Von Ronk) didn't dream of becoming a comic book illustrator;
instead he was a wayward folk singer who eked out a meager existence in New York
City's Greenwich Village during the early 1960s. Despite the character being kind
of a dick, I still related to his struggle of sticking to your artistic ideals
or settling for a more mundane but stable career. Anchored by a soulful performance
from Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis" is equal parts funny and melancholy
but at the film's heart is a tragic tale of a talented artist being dealt a cruel
hand by fate while caught in a tug-of-war between art and commerce. It's a low-key
affair from the Coen brothers but for anyone who's ever had their artistic dreams
dashed by the harsh realities of 'real life,' this film will hit especially close
to home.
Set
during a pivotal week in February 1961, Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) once had a promising
career as part of a folk duo called 'Timlin & Davis' until his singing partner
Mike Timlin (voice of Marcus Mumford) suddenly commits suicide by hurling
himself off the George Washington Bridge. Eking out a meager existence in New
York City's Greenwich Village, Llewyn struggles to make a name for himself as a
solo act, picking up gigs wherever he can but success continues to elude him,
with his recent album 'Inside Llewyn Davis' failing to sell. With no money for a
place to call his own, the down-on-his-luck folk singer is forced to spend his
nights crashing on the couches of friends, relatives, and casual acquaintances.
Llewyn's sympathetic Upper West Side friends, Mitch and Lillian Gorfein (Ethan
Phillips and Robin Bartlett), allow him to stay at their apartment but the couple's
orange tabby cat rushes out the door when Llewyn is leaving the next morning.
Locked out, Llewyn decides to take the cat with him for now and leaves the furry
feline and his belongings at the West Village apartment of Jim and Jean Berkey
(Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan), a popular folk singing husband-and-wife
duo. Jean is none too pleased to see Llewyn, secretly revealing that she's pregnant
and that he might be the father. He agrees to pay for her abortion and then
sets out for Chicago with bullying jazz musician Roland Turner (John Goodman) and
taciturn beat poet Johnny Five (Garrett Hedlund) in a last ditch attempt to save
his crumbling folk career, before finally succumbing to a go-nowhere existence
with the Merchant Marines.
During
the ending of the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis," a young Bob
Dylan (Benjamin Pike) prepares to take the stage at Greenwich Village's Gaslight
Café just as Llewyn leaves. Dylan would go on to become one of the most influential
figures in popular music and culture, but the many folk singers who existed at
the time failed to achieve the same level of success despite being just as good
as him. Simply put, they were dealt a bad hand by fate. It takes serious talent,
as well as skill, to create music; anyone can perfectly play Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 with hours of practice but
not everyone is able to produce something uniquely original. Even harder is the
ability to produce something original that people actually love. Llewyn Davis is certainly talented but the down-on-his-luck
folk singer is seemingly condemned to suffer for his art due to forces outside
his control. His prickly personality doesn't help his situation either. Set in New
York City amidst a freezing winter in 1961, "Inside Llewyn Davis" opens
with the titular character on the Gaslight Café's stage singing the traditional
folk ballad Hang Me, Oh Hang Me to a small
yet intimate crowd. They respond with polite applause, even though it's clear
that Davis just poured his heart out to them with his melancholy vocals. Playing
things close to the chest, the Coen brothers slowly reveal that Davis' singing partner
Mike Timlin had recently committed suicide. No reason is given as to why Timlin
killed himself but many characters, such as the Gorfeins and Jean, voice their
fondness of him. Although Davis tries hard to advance his career as a solo act,
he continues to be haunted by his partner's death and often angrily dismisses
those who only want to help him. He fiercely clings to the past, partially out
of elitism but largely because he's unable to move on.
Timlin's
suicide isn't the only thing holding Davis back. In spite of his obvious talent
and passion, people just don't want to hear covers of the same old folk songs;
they want to hear original material. There's always been a clash between art and
commerce. Davis wants to at least make it doing what he loves but the truth is
that you can't, not without some compromise. Even more important is that people
have to want to listen to you sing.
There's a moment late in the film where Davis, after a long trip, finally arrives
in Chicago to meet with music impresario Bud Grossman (F. Murray Abraham). He beautifully
plays The Death of Queen Jane and just
when you think that Davis' fortunes are about to turn for the better, Grossman bluntly
tells him that he 'doesn't see a lot of money here.' Davis is at a loss for words
and can only respond with 'Okay.' For an artist who's at the end of his rope,
that has to be the most devastating thing to hear. This serves as a harsh reminder
that talent can only get you so far; you also have to have luck on your side.
Oftentimes, that's the difference between being a success and being a failure.
For
the most part, "Inside Llewyn Davis" is a downbeat affair but it's also
quite funny at times. Early in the film, the Gorfeins' adorable orange tabby cat
runs out the door while Davis is leaving, forcing the already-harried musician
to repeatedly chase after it. The two instantly form an unexpected bond, lending
the picture an offbeat dimension while also providing a sad metaphor of Davis
chasing his dreams and constantly screwing himself up along the way. Things take
on an even weirder note once the folk singer hitches a ride with a nasty, blowhard
jazzman named Roland Turner (who may or may not know black magic) and his mumbling
beat poet driver Johnny Five. Almost immediately, Davis butts heads with Turner
and their ensuing spat leads to several irreverently comic moments thanks to
the Coen brothers' sharp, unpredictable dialogue. It's such a random encounter but
then again, life is full of random encounters. The plot-less structure of the
script reflects life's randomness yet also demonstrates how directionless Davis'
life is. Serving in lieu of a traditional three-act story is the music and I have
to say, the work that T-Bone Burnett and his team put in deserves the highest
of praise. The songs are all modern recordings but not only are they appropriate
for the time period in which the film takes place in, they also emphasize the current
mindset of its main character. The aforementioned Hang Me, Oh Hang Me and Five
Hundred Miles represent the aimless existence Davis is trapped in while the
catchy tune Please Mr. Kennedy shows
the divide between art and commerce. Folk music is mellow and intimate as opposed
to mainstream pop, which is carefree and frivolous. Complementing the music is Jess
Gonchor's exquisite production design as he literally turns back time with his depiction
of New York City in the early 1960s. The hustle-and-bustle of the streets is accentuated
by the chilly grey hues from Bruno Delbonnel's cinematography.
I
briefly mentioned that Llewyn Davis is kind of a dick to those around him. At
his worse, he's irresponsible as he comes into people's lives without thinking about
the consequences of his actions. In spite of the character's abrasive attitude,
Oscar Isaac manages to soften Davis' rough edges with his low-key charisma. For
the past eleven years, the actor has appeared in minor or supporting roles but
"Inside Llewyn Davis" gives him a chance to prove that he's a force
to be reckoned with. Isaac is not the type to chew the scenery; instead he blends
into the picture and lets the little details speak for his performance. Llewyn
may be outwardly bitter yet when Isaac allows the character to give himself
over to his music, then it truly becomes a sight to behold and almost makes his
flaws seem acceptable. The actor's soulful vocals capture the full weight of
Llewyn's sadness as well as his musical passion. The rest of the supporting cast
makes the most of their limited roles, with Carey Mulligan's Jean having a
memorable scene where she scolds Llewyn by repeatedly calling him an asshole and
how he should always wear double condoms wrapped in electric tape as a favor to
all women. Hell, if she weren't so angry, I'd laugh! Despite all that rage,
it's clear that Jean still has some affection toward Llewyn. Justin Timberlake
is enjoyably clueless as Jean's husband Jim while John Goodman's blustering turn
as Roland Turner provides plenty of laughs, lightening the mood in what is a
melancholy picture about failure. Finally, there's Garrett Hedlund, who's obviously
riffing on his role as Dean Moriarty from 2012's "On the Road."
Premiering
at the Cannes Film Festival last May (where it won the prestigious Grand Prix
award) and in limited release since December 6, 2013, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics
hailed the Coen brothers' latest effort as 'smart, funny, and profoundly
melancholy.' The film received a minor nationwide expansion on January 10, 2014
but mainstream audiences have failed to connect with it. Honestly, I'm not
surprised; people don't want to spend their hard-earned money and watch a
depressing film. "Inside Llewyn Davis" is certainly one of the stranger
pictures in the Coen brothers' oeuvre and I admit that I didn't know what to make
of it initially. Repeated listening of the soundtrack greatly helped in understanding
the film as well as allowing me to appreciate its subtler details. Despite its low-key
tone, the Coen brothers have crafted one of the best films of 2013, one that
stands as a harsh reminder about the sacrifices one must make for the sake of art.
Final
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
"I
am so f*cking tired. I thought I just needed a night's sleep but it's more than
that."
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