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Inside Llewyn Davis; Seen it yet?
biscuitfactory
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Have any of you seen the latest Coen brothers film yet?
Worth seeing?
I've loved most Coen bros films I've seen, my faves being "O Brother.." "Raising Arizona" and "Barton Fink"
Will a Coen bros fan like me enjoy this film, bearing in mind I thought "The Ladykillers" and "True Grit" were a couple of stinkers?
Worth seeing?
I've loved most Coen bros films I've seen, my faves being "O Brother.." "Raising Arizona" and "Barton Fink"
Will a Coen bros fan like me enjoy this film, bearing in mind I thought "The Ladykillers" and "True Grit" were a couple of stinkers?
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It was ok. Not as amazing as everyone is making it out to be. Not one of the Coens finest IMO.
Llewyn Davis himself is one of the less attractive central characters of modern cinema but Oscar Isaac is excellent in the role, as are the rest of the cast (and cat).
I suspect that this film will be more viewed more warmly in the future, as a fine character study and a smarter evocation of a lost era than, say, American Hustle, which is a much more superficial work.
I'm saddened it hasn't had more awards season recognition, it was my favourite of the movies I saw last year.
I love visually stylish films and films that evoke an era - "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" was such a film.
I think I will enjoy this.
And it's got a cat in it...bonus for a mad cat woman like me
It's not that the central character is unlikeable, he's just not interestingly unlikeable. Too self-absorbed and ungiving, much like the film itself.
Often with the Coens there's a teasing ambiguity of intent, but played off against an intricately schematic plot. But this just ambles along in a strangely aimless way. You get the snapshot of time quality, but ultimately it's just not telling us much.
It's finely acted and lensed of course, but its meticulous construct nature hampers the music: a too studied, brushed-up impersonation with no real twang of authenticity. Music for a modern coffee shop rather than an old one, if you like.
Further viewings could reveal more of course, but that always works best when your eager to return, and I can't say I am with this. Oh well.
I suppose that's the point, but coming from the Coens it underlines the comparative lack of breadth. It was all just a little too insular for my liking.
I grew up around folk music and people who took it/themselves way too seriously, so really liked the gentle fun poked at them.
Loved the cat - and the jumpers :-D
It doesn't stand out to me as one of the Coen's best films but I'm almost certain that it's a film that will reward repeat viewings.
Mmm, I saw it yesterday and I pretty much agree with you.
I'm a big fan of the Coens but Inside Llewyn Davis was something of a tedious film. It's obvious early on that it's going to be a character-driven piece but after about an hour I was tempted to leave becase it was clear that the rest of the film was going to be just be more of the same - and so it proved.
The film generates mood and feeling brilliantly. Other than the songs sung by the protagonists, there is no soundtrack so those emotions are generated solely by the acting and cinematography. It taps effectively into enduring American themes of rootlessness and travel. There are scenes of existential melancholy with characters sitting in coffee shops and cars and diners, like figures in a Hopper painting.
I'm not that interested in music so the use of it didn't do much for me but I could see that the film was trying to make a point about the value of art and its commercialisation. The film has the usual Coen trademark of bizarre dialogue from grotesque-looking characters. I sometimes wonder whether the Coen brothers are actually some kind of charitable project to provide work for all the ugly actors in the US.:D
I'm glad I didn't leave during the film because it did make me think. You learn that his former singing partner has died and you wonder whether it's actually Davis who has died and is in purgatory, wandering through this chillingly cold, icy landscape where the wind howls and there is only fleeting comfort from being indoors. Incidentally, when John Goodman's character says that Davis' partner should have thrown himself from the Brooklyn, rather than the George Washington, bridge did anyone else notice the picture of the Brooklyn bridge on the wall in one of the flats where Davis stays?
It's one of those rare films that probably benefits from being seen again almost immediately but, as you say, I can't bring myself to.
Ha ha! I know exactly which one you're referring to.:D
Yeah - the Coen Brothers' work does tend to be quite hit-and-miss. I like things like Barton Fink, No Country For Old Men, True Grit but, things like Fargo and Intolerable Cruelty I can't stand!.
It does look like this film whilst it looks quirky, it probably won't be for me.
Yeah, it does. They tend to be either character-driven or have ingenious plots. I've really liked The Big Lebowski, Miller's Crossing, No Country for old Men, Fargo and True Grit.
I really liked True Grit, Lebowski and my favourite is O Brother (the music is amazing too, which helps).
They may have a few misses, but thank God for the Coens.
I'm still thinking about L Davis. Def a slow burner. I started laughing at the lyrics of the opening track - gratuitously depressive lyrics always crack me up.
Personally, I like all of their films to varying degrees. They have some fantastic hits, and no misses.
I'd put Inside Llewyn Davis somewhere in the middle ...
The Man Who Wasn't There
Fargo
Burn After Reading
A Serious Man
No Country for Old Men
The Big Lebowski
The Hudsucker Proxy
Inside Llewyn Davis
Miller's Crossing
Raising Arizona
True Grit
Blood Simple
Barton Fink
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Intolerable Cruelt
The Ladykillers
Yeah, I couldn't get on with The Man Who Wasn't There and I really don't know why. Thornton, Gandolfini - what's not to like? I haven't seen The Ladykillers because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be as good as the original and I'm not that fond of Tom Hanks.
The Man Who Wasn't There
Fargo
Burn After Reading
A Serious Man
No Country for Old Men
Inside Llewyn Davis
The Big Lebowski
The Hudsucker Proxy
Miller's Crossing
Raising Arizona
True Grit
Blood Simple
Barton Fink
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Intolerable Cruelty
The Ladykillers
Maybe not for people who like a lot of action in their movies, but i found it a great little story on folk music during that period which im sure wasnt dissimilar to many aspiring musicians who diddnt quite make it.
A great story about a nearlyman, someone with talent but cant breakthrough to the mainstream, which im sure many people throughout history will feel has happened to them.
Again, that might be the point, but I think I prefer the Coens with a narrative on the boil, not simmering on a low gas.
I think having such a dislikeable central character was the biggest hurdle I couldn't get over but not enjoying any of the songs (excluding 'Please Mr. Kennedy') probably didn't help either.
Although it was by no means a terrible film it really didn't live up to the hype so 7/10 feels like a fair & appropriate score...
It hasn't really been hyped, has it? If anything it's one of the most undersold films to be released recently.