In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future following the suicide of his singing partner.
It’s not an easy life for Llewyn Davis, a budding folk singer trying his best to get a good gig. He has no home, his friendships and relationships are crumbling, he’s lost his neighbour’s cat, the last of his money is slowly disappearing, and the list goes on.
In the hands of less competent directors, the film would be nowhere near as heavy and upsetting as it is. The arresting cinematography, the subtle yet extravagant characters, the endlessly fascinating narrative and superb acting (especially Oscar Isaac) combine to give the film its unique mix of misery and dark humour, which is why I love it so much.
The real icing on the cake for Inside Llewyn Davis however is the delightfully ambiguous ending, where our hero (I think) finds himself being beaten by the same man in the same alleyway he was exactly a week ago. Is he reliving his past in his head, is it a metaphor for his steady improvement or his eventual downfall, does Ulysses the cat have time travel powers that cause Llewyn to become stuck in a sick sort of groundhog week? The mysterious ending is a staple of the Coen’s work, and I’m confident in saying that it is one of my favourites, probably coming in a close second to Inception’s spinning top. It seems to me like this was the only way to end the tragic tale. A big, sad ending like Llewyn committing suicide or sleeping on the streets would have been predictable and disappointing, whereas an exciting and thought provoking shot of him walking into the distance just would not have worked in the film, and wouldn’t have exactly been original either. Therefore, the Coens did what they do best, and left us thinking. Which is the other reason this movie ranks so high on my list of films I would recommend.
I’m no music expert, and I’m no folk music fan, but the soundtrack of the film is so brilliant, catchy, and well suited it’s hard to not mention it. The best stories and commentaries given by the film are placed in its folk music, and pivotal points in the progression of Llewyn’s character are often highlighted by a well-placed song.
This is certainly one of the Coens' best, and I would certainly recommend it to fans of their work, or fans of hard-hitting films in general.
