We meet Llewyn Davis performing onstage at the Gaslight Cafe, winter of 1961, putting his heart into his music like it's the last time he'll ever play that guitar. The film then takes us back to the week leading up to this moment, in which we learn that Llewyn Davis is a broke, homeless, and mean-spirited folk singer whose loss of the other half of his duo has turned him into a desperate solo act who no longer views music as his passion, but his job. Trying to escape the cold, Llewyn bounces back and forth between friends' houses (though perhaps "connections" would be a better word than "friends"), making every effort to overturn his misfortune. But his mind is plagued by many things, all of which point toward his shortcomings, and all of which he is trying to escape.
Llewyn is a complex character, and Oscar Isaac really delves into his inner turmoil as he takes his rambling journey to seemingly nowhere, amidst the melancholy songs that reflect the tone of the film. The Coen Brothers have done a fantastic job of revealing the darker, more dismal side of a musician's struggle, and of humanity, as well, as nearly every character dishes the unpleasantries right back at Llewyn.
This is a great film with an inspiring folk soundtrack, one which I hope will spark a lot of discussion. Come see Inside Llewyn Davis at the Midtown Cinema!
- Sam
No comments:
Post a Comment