Llweyn's Obnoxious, Yet Cohen Bros Still Got it

Rating: 7/10 (16 May 2017)

After watching the Coen Brother's latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis, I was forced to be left with one question: so what? Yes, Inside Llewyn Davis is shot magnificently, with long shots and brilliant camera angles that capture the essence of Greenwich Village in the 60's. Yes, the film has beautiful cinematography and yes, the acting is magnificent, especially by the talented Oscar Isaac. But the question 'so what?' still lingers, after watching this film. We were forced to watch a week in the life of a struggling musician who bounces from couch to couch, trying to make ends meet. At times, I even rooted for him and wanted him to get paid because he's a talented musician who's not selling out. Other times, I hated the guy with a passion. Indeed, Llweyn is a jerk but true to his work and music. The movie ends the same way it starts: will not include any spoilers here. Perhaps the Cohen Brothers are trying to show that his Llweyn will never amount to anything; perhaps, satirizing the music business: if you don't sell out, you won't succeed. So, perhaps, he will be stuck in the same predicament even after the credits roll. It is not his music that stands out, however, but his unimportant exploits that take place in various circumstances during the movie. All the characters had their fair share of Llweyn and they demonstrate their feelings throughout the movie, making us aware of his personality; a ruined relationship with Jean (Carey Mulligan), a unfortunate incident causing him to lose his friend and singing partner, and a unsympathetic manager that no longer believes in him. All those things paint the picture way ahead of everything else. It's all regarding Llweyn, and half way through the film, we've found out all we need about his persona. Although the film is shot magnificently, it accomplishes nothing, mainly due to the script's failure to become climactic. The most fascinating part of the film is the road trip that introduces us to a few characters played by John Goodman, F. Murray Abraham, and Garrett Hedlund as Johnny Five. The road trip is long as we feel its length through the various shots that depict the icy cold roads of the Midwest and Llweyn's adventures. He witnesses a near death, almost gets arrested, and hits a cat with a car. overall, the film is about a man's life and how he shapes the lives of the people he impacts. His music, although wonderful, play second fiddle to his character. Inside Llweyn Davis is a visual masterpiece but the story needs more.