Inside Llewyn Davis

YUP a minor one along with and A Serious Man. I find these films get better w repeated viewings.

 

I’ll take The Ladykillers over Llewelyn anytime.

 

Yikes

 

This was a bad movie, nothing about it was believable and the character was unlikable and forgettable. It's almost like no musicians were involved with it.

 

Well it wasn’t a documentary so I don’t know what’s not believable in the made up fantasy story based on a particular period of time in the New York village folk world.

 

Given that it's highly biographical of Dave Von Ronk, but just crushed into a short time frame and imbued with lots of artistic vision from the Coen bros, I strongly disagree. It was an interesting peak into the beatnik world in Manhattan and I liked the symbolism of the cat(s). I liked how Llewyn seemed never in the right place at the right time, and was well on his way to being a footnote in the folk scene by the time the Dylan performance rolls around near the ending. It felt true to life that the Llewyn character recognized all the signs that told him he should get out of the music business, but in spite of it he felt like it was his calling and he seemed trapped in it, unable to do anything else with his life. Oscar Isaac did a phenomenal job, and immersed himself in folk music and musicians for this role. He's a talented actor.

 

What can I say, it didn't work for me at all. I play folk music for a living, it seemed like it was trying really hard to be something and it came across very forced. Absolutely no vibe for the original scene in those days, nothing that would remind one of Ronk. It came across, to me, as hipster fluff trying too hard.

 

I think Llewyn’s musical bits are tedious. Intentional?

Great cast of characters.

Loved this film.

 

I consider it the Coen Bros. best film. There is an almost casualness about it whilst beneath the surface it is still some sort of an Odyssey (a favorite 'format' for the Coens) for Llewyn.

 

Could be. it’s up there for. it’s a devastating tragedy.

 

Symbolism aside, I found nothing about this movie particularly "interesting". Not the characters, the story, the conflict or resolution. The production and acting were all strong -no surprise there.

It's like the Odyssey with a Ulysses who has no apparent redeeming qualities. And what's the tragedy here? That the world wont get to enjoy all the great music that Llewellyn was sure to create and bestow upon us all if only he had some commercial success? Or that he was compelled to join the merchant marines again and actually have to work again for a living?

 

Yeah, I really don't get it, the movie just doesn't deliver the depth and quality people here are suggesting. To me, anyway. Confusing

 

Absolutely. And boring.

 

Yep, and I'm not particularly fond of The Lady Killers either.

 

I found the relationships interesting between Llewyn and the love interest who was with the Justin Timberlake character; likewise the sister and the elitist professor types who opened their home to him and, holding up the cat demands: "where's it's scrotum?" Also the father, who is sort of a vegetable and becomes Llewyn's most supportive audience. I can see if you didn't find any of this "exciting" but it's all quite interesting and universally accessible, even if you can't relate to any of the characters.

The tragedy is that of the human condition. We are each to a greater or lesser extent embodying our lives not in sync with others around us or capable of knowing our place. If it helps, Funkadelic characterizes this as "standing on the verge of getting it on but not getting it on." Llewyn's character touches on themes of fleeting greatness, of fathering an unknowable child, of dreams shriveling up. He ends up beaten in the alley outside a club where someone else is successfully living the dream he dreamed. You're not supposed to relate to the character but you are supposed to appreciate the universal themes done in a manner that are indeed interesting and tragic.

Likewise, I really don't get what you don't get.

 

great film. I've seen out five times now.

 

Film is magic, though subtle. Most moviegoers don't appreciate 'subtle' if it hits them with a Coen Bros. film.

 

Most the criticisms here could fit with any Coen Brothers film. You either like the way they tell a story or you don't. They aren't my favorite, but I try to watch every single one of their films, because I feel they challenge the status quo and the viewer to find meaning.

They don't just tell a story beginning, middle, end. With their films I tend to feel like I somehow missed the first 20 minutes of the movie... and then at the end I feel like there's going to be more after the credits... but then there isn't. This was one of my favorites of theirs, though I doubt I'll watch it more than once.

 

Each one of their movies denies that established Judaic/Christian way of storytelling of either damnation or salvation at the end. Their characters don't end up in heaven or hell but go on living (or die) in a world that keeps on spinning regardless of their doings. They are realistic in a way that we are not used to in our storytelling tradition and because of that can - paradoxically - seem slightly surreal. But they always leave you thinking.

 

There is ‘subtle’ and then there is ‘tedious’ and ‘boring’. Most Coen Brothers movies I have seen do not fall in the latter category -this one does for me.

 

It's all relative, I guess. I love most of what the Coens did, but several left me flat and I actually hate one of them for ideological reasons: A Serious Man.

Miller's Crossing on paper should have been a favorite of mine, but I've never been able to get into it whatsoever even though gangster films are my favorite genre and the Coens are among my favorite directors. Then there is the ponderous The Man Who Wasn't There. It left me flat, but I possibly didn't give it enough chances as the Coens' films have the ability to spark something inside and grow on you.

Barton Fink, Big Lebowski, Hail Caesar, Fargo, No Country, O Brother, Buster Scruggs, Inside Llewyn, True Grit and Burn After Reading are all amazing in their own ways.

 

Weird...and interesting.

I'm referring to this thread, not the movie.

I'm a huge Coen Brothers fan, and I generally enjoy pretty much all of their films to one extent or another. The only one I can probably say that I prefer the least is Barton Fink, for a variety of reasons, though I wouldn't call it a bad movie. I've only seen Ladykillers once, and though it may not be in the Coen's top tier, I did like it. Then again, I thought A Serious Man was brilliant.

With that said, I have yet to see Inside Llewyn Davis, but I do have a Blu-ray copy sitting at home waiting for a spin. Judging by the comments here, I think that may likely enjoy this movie because I've always liked that kind of low key approach that the Coen's have used now and again, and the basic storyline seems interesting to me. Of course, I could be wrong. Still, I'm looking forward to watching this one.

 

"A Serious Man" haunted my dreams. It was so quiet and devastating in the most understated possible way. I feel like "Inside Llewyn Davis" followed that same path. They're both so unique in the Coen's body of work and I can understand why they'd be divisive, but I love them. Wish I could watch them both back to back right now!

The discussions on this thread have been great, even if I disagree with some of them.

dan c

 

From the very first time I saw BF in the theater (was staying in NYC at the time), I was totally blown away and would consider it the Coens' signature film.

It was brilliant, I agree. But the question is whether you liked the statement it was making. I thought it was revolting, and much of the writing and symbolism was far creepier than it was entertaining.

Enjoy it--you're in for a treat!

I think they couldn't be more different, except in some elements of style. But certainly not substance. ASM was haunting because it was rather overtly about existential threat to a specific people even if some didn't want to look the movie "in the face" so to speak.

 

Can someone explain A Serious Man? I’ve seen it once but did not understand the symbolism from beginning to end at all. I’ve often pondered about what I saw.