Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Writers: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan
This is the first Coen Brothers film I have watched since
the Big Lebowski (which was fantastic) and it is easily the best film I have
seen in a non-controversial amount of time.
Oscar Isaac plays the fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis trying to make something of his non-existent career.
There is a great calling card of Coen Brothers films that is giving every person with lines tons of character. Some characters are on screen for less than ten minutes and bear very little fruit in terms of story but they leave a clear imprint in your memory (and mine too).
It seems unnecessary to say that in a film about a folk singer, a good soundtrack is very important. It was a great choice to get T-Bone Burnett to do the soundtrack not for any affinity to the genre but because he seems to be able to do no wrong. Recently he keeps popping up in things that have notably fantastic and memorable soundtracks. He was a large part of the music in True Detective and he was the musical archivist for the Big Lebowski. He also won an Oscar and has been nominated for over thirty other awards. If you were to omit Hans Zimmer and John Williams, Burnett would have the most acclaim among composers. All the songs were brilliantly written. Some songs are purposefully contrived and there are subtly changing reprises throughout. While doing this they still manage to all be enjoyable to listen to. It’s a difficult amalgamation of criteria to meet but Burnett managed it.
Not only were the songs crafted expertly but also Oscar Isaac pops out as an outstandingly believable folk singer. All the songs in the film were performed live which is an impressive step from the status quo. There is a reason why most film add in song audio after the fact but this film retains it’s aural authenticity by taking a dangerous risk.
The music is certainly not the only notable aspect of the film. The story and characters are hugely compelling. You see the singer bounce around from couch to couch as he tries to reach show business escape velocity. Between scenes there are sporadically edited transitions highlighting Llewyn’s dire and ever-changing routine. Although as a character he is pretty much scum, you feel sympathy for him as he is struggling to escape the snowy streets.
This is one of the most relaxed films I have seen. Many screenwriters strive for tension and conflict whereas this film seems to stray from it. The film rather feels like a folk song in its pace and how people react to Llewyn’s actions. It is endlessly enjoyable, sounds fantastic and is acted incredibly. I could not recommend this more.
Inside Llewyn Davis receives a: 9/10
Oscar Isaac plays the fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis trying to make something of his non-existent career.
There is a great calling card of Coen Brothers films that is giving every person with lines tons of character. Some characters are on screen for less than ten minutes and bear very little fruit in terms of story but they leave a clear imprint in your memory (and mine too).
It seems unnecessary to say that in a film about a folk singer, a good soundtrack is very important. It was a great choice to get T-Bone Burnett to do the soundtrack not for any affinity to the genre but because he seems to be able to do no wrong. Recently he keeps popping up in things that have notably fantastic and memorable soundtracks. He was a large part of the music in True Detective and he was the musical archivist for the Big Lebowski. He also won an Oscar and has been nominated for over thirty other awards. If you were to omit Hans Zimmer and John Williams, Burnett would have the most acclaim among composers. All the songs were brilliantly written. Some songs are purposefully contrived and there are subtly changing reprises throughout. While doing this they still manage to all be enjoyable to listen to. It’s a difficult amalgamation of criteria to meet but Burnett managed it.
Not only were the songs crafted expertly but also Oscar Isaac pops out as an outstandingly believable folk singer. All the songs in the film were performed live which is an impressive step from the status quo. There is a reason why most film add in song audio after the fact but this film retains it’s aural authenticity by taking a dangerous risk.
The music is certainly not the only notable aspect of the film. The story and characters are hugely compelling. You see the singer bounce around from couch to couch as he tries to reach show business escape velocity. Between scenes there are sporadically edited transitions highlighting Llewyn’s dire and ever-changing routine. Although as a character he is pretty much scum, you feel sympathy for him as he is struggling to escape the snowy streets.
This is one of the most relaxed films I have seen. Many screenwriters strive for tension and conflict whereas this film seems to stray from it. The film rather feels like a folk song in its pace and how people react to Llewyn’s actions. It is endlessly enjoyable, sounds fantastic and is acted incredibly. I could not recommend this more.
Inside Llewyn Davis receives a: 9/10
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