Inside Llewyn Davis

Rating: 8/10 (1 October 2014)

From directors the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel (Raising Arizona, Fargo, No Country for Old Men, True Grit), I would have assumed this film was a mild sleeper hit, but it certainly got more promotion towards awards season, and rightly so. Basically, set in 1961, in Greenwich Village, New York City, folk singer Llewyn Davis (Golden Globe nominated Oscar Isaac) is struggling with his career, following the suicide of his musical partner Mike Timlin, and his recent solo album Inside Llewyn Davis is not selling; and with no money he is sleeping on the couches of friends and acquaintances. Following a night in the apartment of older friends the Gorfeins, their cat escapes, he is forced to take it with him, until he can return the cat he takes it to the apartment of Jim (Justin Timberlake) and Jean (Carey Mulligan) Berkey, Jean is pregnant and fears Llewyn is the father, so she wants him to pay for an abortion. The next morning the cat escapes again, Llewyn records a novelty song with Jim and Al Cody (What If's Adam Driver), as part of the "John Glenn Singers", he agrees to payment of $200 with no royalties, needing money immediately, Llewyn sets up Jean's appointment at the gynaecologist's office, he discovers from the doctor that a previous girlfriend, without telling him, decided to a child he paid to be aborted, and then she moved to Akron. He spots what he thinks is the Gorfeins' cat while eating with Jean, he returns it that evening and is invited to dinner, after he reluctantly sings a song he had recorded with Mike, "Fare Thee Well", Lillian Gorfein (Robin Bartlett) starts singing in harmony which frustrates him and makes her leave the table crying, it turns out also the cat he brought is not theirs, he takes the cat he found with him and leaves. Llewyn hitches a ride with two musicians, laconic beat poet Johnny Five (Garrett Hedlund) and odious jazz musician Roland Turner (John Goodman), who are heading for Chicago, on their drive Roland collapses from a heroin overdose at a roadside restaurant, and Johnny is arrested after resisting to move on stopping on a highway, with no car keys Llewyn leaves the car, unconscious Roland and the cat behind. He reaches Chicago and auditions for producer Bud Grossman (F. Murray Abraham), following his singer Grossman tells him that he is not suited to be a solo singer, he would consider incorporating him into a trio that he is forming, Llewyn rejects this offer and hitches a ride back to New York, driving on the way he hits what he thinks was the same cat he found. Back in the city Llewyn plans to rejoin the merchant marine union, he first visits his unwell father, however his sister threw out his seaman's license which he needs to ship out, he apologises to Jean for everything, and she tells him he has got a gig in the Gaslight that she set up, it is there that Pappi Corsicato (Max Casella) claims he had sex with Jean, and in a moment of frustration he heckles a woman performing on stage. Going to the Gorfeins' apartment Llewyn is welcomed graciously, he is surprised to see that their actual cat Ulysses has returned home, Llewyn performs at the Gaslight, he is applauded, Pappi teases about the heckling he did the previous night and tells him someone wants to see him outside, in the alley Llewyn is beaten for a suited man in the shadows, for heckling his wife, the last moment is him looking up as the man drives away in a taxi. Also starring Alex Karpovsky as Marty Green and Ethan Phillips as Mitch Gorfein. Isaac as the title character is fantastic both as a sympathetic character and with his soulful voice, co-stars Mulligan, Timberlake and Goodman are great with their time on screen as well, it feels low-key throughout and runs a nice steady pace, it makes you laugh with deadpan humour and feel sad at the right moments, and the original songs are brilliant, this is a most watchable comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing, it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Original Screenplay for Joel and Ethan Coen, Best Cinematography and Best Sound, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical and Best Original Song for "Please Mr. Kennedy". Very good!