Inside Llewyn Davis (M)
Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman.
ONE thing should be made clear before watching Inside Llewyn Davis – it isn’t an uplifting film.
The latest film by the famous Cohen brothers focuses on Llewyn (Oscar Isaac), an often downtrodden folk musician, trying to find success in New York’s Greenwhich Village in the 1960s.
Inside Llewyn Davis follows Llewyn’s uprooted life, which sees him playing in bars, sleeping on a different couch every night and trying to scrape together a musical career.
However, the odds are often not on Llewyn’s side and his bitter demeanour leaves him struggling hard as winter sets in and times get tough.
There are many funny moments in the film that bring the piece out of the darkness – particularly when John Goodman’s character enters the fray – but most of time, the bleakness of Llewyn’s situation will be at the forefront.
The scenery and a strong underpinning soundtrack help to carry the film and solidify it as a fantastic piece.
Inside Llewyn Davis is hardly a feel-good film, but it’s entirely worth watching, and beautifully carried out from start to finish.
Bob Dylan fans are also in for a surprise, so keep an eye (or an ear) out.
– Jesse Graham
