The Coen brothers' best film in over a decade

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2014)

The Coen brothers are really a cinema apart. They have their unique style, blending multiple genres in a way that feels natural, with an interesting cinematography that makes them easy to differentiate, (usually) great and original music and often witty dialogue/characters. Yet, I often find them polarizing: while I've loved some of their films ('Miller's Crossing', 'Barton Fink', 'The Big Lebowski'), I often found some difficult to like others.
Not since 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?', over a decade ago, have I liked a Coen-directed film (except for 'True Grit', though that one doesn't feel like a Coen movie at all). In fact, I could consider 'The Ladykillers' and 'A Serious Man' among the biggest disappointments in the decade (among the worst too, at least among 'big, important' productions).
Surprisingly, it was 'Inside Llewyn Davis' that peaked my interest again. This simplistic, almost pointless slice-of-life yarn about a fictional 60's washed-up folk singer doesn't look like much, but just like 'Fargo' in the 90's it is deceptively captivating. It is heavily a drama, yet with a somber humor and wit, where the characters aren't forced but actually realistic and the reason you keep watching on. Oscar Isaac is also part of the reason, being able to naturally convey a Coen character's wittiness; he is kind of a downer, yet sympathetic, and Isaac even manages to sing well.
We have some good casting in here too (which became less common within the Coen's films as time passed; they've never casted as well as they did on 'Barton Fink' or 'Miller's Crossing'). John Goodman is really good on his small part, as is F. Murray Abraham in a cameo-like role and Max Casella as the bar owner. Carey Mulligan was quite cute, and her interaction with Isaac's was very fun to watch; moreover, she has a very good voice and is nice to hear sing.
Adam Driver was a surprise with his deep voice, but again had little screen time. Justin Timberlake seems to be becoming quite popular lately; he sings well enough, true, but he isn't a good actor at all and makes his character look like too much of a wuss. Even if they insisted on casting a singer for the role, they could have chosen better.
The songs are all original, collaboration between the Coens, their musical supervisor and sometimes Timberlake. Maybe because I like folk music, or because Isaac is a surprisingly good singer, but I loved them; coincidentally, Timberlake's 'Please Mr. Kennedy' was the only song that I didn't like at all, though he kinda repents in his other song with Mulligan.
Overall, a simplistic to the point of pointlessness, but nonetheless engrossing and likable picture. Oscar Isaac is the highlight here, as are the excellent cinematography and the songs. Also worth noticing is that, as often, the Coen brothers leave a lot of references to Homer's 'Odyssey'; pay attention to the cat if you wish to get it.