A tribute to every aspiring artist in the world.

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2014)

It's been three long years since the Coen brothers were enjoying their second peak of their career with the 1-2-3 strike of No Country For Old Men, Burn After Reading and A Serious Man. While True Grit garnered similar acclaim, it simply hasn't held up for me as much, though it does have some worthwhile aspects. I'm overjoyed to see them explore something original that they clearly care passionately for as music is such a key part of their films. Inside Llewyn Davis has a cynical but honest thesis. Not every talented artist makes the green. It's a film that not only makes you think about the origins of folk songs, where the frustrations of surviving feeds into the performance, but also all the great art the world has missed because they don't get exposure. Fortunately, the Coens don't have that problem and they're free to share this fascinating idea with us, as if they're accepting how lucky they are in the film industry.
Inside Llewyn Davis is like a mix of O Brother Where Art Thou in the focus on music with A Serious Man in its thoughtful deconstruction of conventional storytelling. Plot threads start in the middle, some subplots don't even conclude. It deliberately goes nowhere, mirroring Llewyn Davis' rocky path in life. It's cinematic, but it feels true to life. However, that lack of plot is a blessing and a curse. Even though the film is already relatively short at 100 minutes, it needed some significant trimming. There's too many scenes which didn't feel like they affected Llewyn besides as merely physical obstacles to his doomed goal, particularly John Goodman's character. Granted, in typical Coen fashion, the comedic timing of their side characters is an absolute joy, particularly Stark Sands, Adam Driver and the bark and bite of Carey Mulligan. But this is the Oscar Isaac show.
Despite a challenging and short role, he was a highlight in Drive. For a character I expected to hate, he was surprisingly likable. Ostensibly he was born to play Llewyn Davis. Although he can be mean-spirited, short-tempered and egotistical at times, he's sincere and not delusional, so downtrodden yet determined that we can't help but support him. He's the spokesman for any aspiring artist and watching his dedication and heartfelt passion is satisfyingly reassuring. Only the Coens could get away with a script like this. A character-driven story about a loser who goes nowhere twice. I read it beforehand out of curiosity a few months ago but I wasn't too impressed given its sloppy economy and use of jump cutting. It was entertaining, but not as thought-provoking as the end film. Fortunately their sharp editing of the film makes it more dynamic and the witty lines shine through. It's certainly one of their funniest films in a long time.
However, it still struggles with pacing a little bit, especially as its third act seems to linger rather than payoff. It's surprisingly entertaining and quietly poignant in moments that cut to Llewyn's core. The selection of songs makes it a better experience too, especially their perfect choice of recurring songs in "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me" and "Fare Thee Well." The original song "Please Mr. Kennedy" is ridiculously catchy too. I wasn't sure about the cinematography from the early trailers. It looked too washed out and post-processed even though I loved Bruno Delbonnel's work with Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It grew on me however, especially in incredible wide shots. That rich atmosphere feels like an eternal winter. The Coens have created a wonderful portal to a compelling and creative period, but it's not one I would want to live in, just visit 100 minutes at a time.
8/10