Tuesday, December 17, 2013

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (A-)


Bottom Line: A bitterly bleak and confidently melancholy ode to restlessness, grief, heartbreak, tragedy, stubbornness, vulnerability, longing and the ever-revolving-sometimes-never-evolving artistic process.  You’ll easily struggle to find redeeming qualities or even kind of like the main character – he’s a thorny one who never seems to get out of his own way or the ways of others – he truly enters almost every seen like a wrecking ball.  And that’s part of his charm – in a deliberately Coen-esque kind of way…  The craftsmanship on display here is outstanding from top to bottom.  Great acting, layered characters, lush cinematography, intelligent writing and a folksy soundtrack that sounds like a warm blanket feels.  Plus, there’s a ton of depth and enough subtle oddities to qualify this as another Coen Brothers classic!  Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of this early 60’s, Greenwich Village, subdued, hipster-like music scene (assuming many might feel the same way here) – but as time passed my admiration grew…  It really is folkin’ great!
 
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Carey Milligan, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen (MILLER’S CROSSING, FARGO, RASING ARIZONA, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, TRUE GRIT, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?)
Rated: R
Running time: 105 minutes
Story: INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS follows a week in the life of a young folk singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles-some of them of his own making. (c) CBS
 

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