Not their best

Rating: 5/10 (27 April 2014)

I'm a big Coen brothers fan. I also knew Dave Van Ronk and the Village scene in the 60s. While I have no problem with the story, I thought the casting and production was terribly lacking. In those excellent films about recording artists, there is an effort to capture the quality and "voice", if I may, of the singer. For example, "Ray", and "The Buddy Holly Story", others come to mind.. Even if you had never seen or heard those performers before, you would recognize them if you did after watching those films.
That is not the case here. Oscar Isaac as as much like Dave Van Ronk as Cher is like Aretha Franklin. To me, knowing and sitting with Dave Van Ronk, that is a great disservice to his unique and captivating talent. If this film was just about the folk scene in N.Y. in the 60s, it would be a valuable contribution to the Coen Brothers body of work. But making it about a particular performer, and then ignoring that performer's style, voice, and ability.. it really didn't work for me. (The Clancy Brothers was just abysmal. I can't fault T Bone as I know he had nothing to do with casting; but knowing T Bone's work, I can't help but think he was cringing at these performances.) If you are a Coen Brothers fan and know little of the topic, watch the film. If you are a folk music fan and know the work of the people represented in this film.. perhaps you might want to grit your teeth before wading in.