Review of Inside Llewyn Davis

The Coen Brothers' choice of setting Inside Llewyn Davis in New York's Greenwich Village in 1961 will not be lost on the musically astute viewer. In this movie's world, the impact of Bob Dylan has yet to be felt, and it's italicized in a scene where a producer informs the movie's title character "I don't see a lot of money here." Indeed, some will be wondering what happens just a few months down the road after this movie's story comes to a close. For those who don't know or care about such things, however, Inside Llewyn Davis is nonetheless another pleasing, quirky outing from the veteran filmmaking duo. And, as a bonus, it contains several era-appropriate songs guaranteed to get stuck in your head.

Inside Llewyn Davis is strictly character-driven. It follows a week in the life of a struggling folk singer (Oscar Issac) in Greenwich Village as he struggles to support himself. He seems misanthropic and disconnected with everyday life unless he's playing a song, where he displays remarkable talent. Without a permanent place to stay, he bounces from couch to couch, including those of fellow musicians Jean (Carey Mulligan) and Jim (Justin Timberlake). Llewyn's relationship with his sister is also fairly rocky. Late in the film, he takes a road trip to Chicago with oddball travelers Roland Turner (John Goodman) and Johnny Five (Garrett Hedlund) when a promising career opportunity materializes. And in the end, he must make a choice of whether to do what he loves for little compensation or give it up and take a steady job with steady income.

Llewyn Davis isn't the type of down-on-his-luck character who courts pity from a viewer. He's aloof, unfocused on his future, and can be a bit of a jackass at times. But he has just enough humanity (not to mention great skill at his craft) to have the average viewer hoping he catches a break in life. When playing his guitar and singing, we see a far more energetic and passionate man, and the Coens structure his songs almost like musical numbers in a Broadway play. Relative unknown Oscar Issac excels in the title role, both with the music (he does his own singing, as do Mulligan and Timberlake) and in everyday interaction with other characters.

Though this movie is straightforward and low-key, plenty of the Coens' trademark quirkiness can be found. The episodes involving a neighbor's cat (which Llewyn accidentally lets out and later carries around with him throughout the city) are frequently funny, as are the rambling stories of John Goodman's Roland Turner. And even if folk music isn't your cup of tea, the songs still have energy and verve, especially a wacky little number called "Please Mr. Kennedy." The use of a wrap-around framing device (involving Llewyn's confrontation with a mysterious stranger outside the cafe) isn't as effective, however. It seems to serve little purpose beyond shaking up the structure of an otherwise ordinary story.

In the end, while Inside Llewyn Davis isn't "great" Coen Brothers, it's still an offbeat, entertaining diversion. The movie itself won't have any legs beyond the art house circuit, and the performances, while solid, might not garner much attention in a massively crowded Oscar field. The soundtrack, however, has long-lasting potential. If you love the music, you'll love the film. Even if you don't, you'll still be impressed by the movie's immersive sense of time, place, and characters.

Rating: *** (out of ****)