Strumimg our way through irony

Rating: 6/10 (11 January 2014)

If I go now to the basement and look real hard, I can probably find the vinyl from that era: Dylan, Ochs, Van Ronk, Peter Paul and Mary. This film certainly has some personal nostalgia wrapped around it, even though the Coens were probably in grade school when this music was produced. Inside Llewyn Davis is a touching portrait of a musician down on his luck, a recurring Coen brothers theme. Llewyn (Oscar Issac) is a true talent, but a handful of unfortunate incidents have left him hamstrung emotionally, artistically and financially with just about everyone in his personal and professional world fed up with him.
The music is beautiful, the acting excellent, the script tight and disciplined, but the movie just doesn't go anywhere. Unlike most other reviewers, I find Llewyn a warm and sympathetic character, even though most of the characters he interfaces with show anger, contempt, and hostility toward him, he perseveres. Unlike the harsh critique of Albert Grosman (F.Murray Abraham) his music is evocative and strong. The creative marketplace is both ruthless and fickle. The brilliant and talented are often looked over for the shallow and facile. Llewyn is often reminded of this at key points in the film, but can do little to remedy it.
This is a movie about failing. It is depressing and unfortunately very real. Llewyn Davis should be judged not for his character flaws, but the caprice of the creative world he has chosen to live in.