Movie Review - Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis ** ( R) If you’re into the sort of mournful folk songs of the 1960s, your appreciation for this little drama might exceed my low rating. Davis (Oscar Isaac) is a mostly-failed artist. He’d attained some moderate success with his late writing and singing partner, but can’t sustain either his music or lifestyle as a solo act. He’s bummed, and his story is mostly a bummer. We follow him for a dreary, wintry week around Greenwich Village and other locales in 1961 as he strives awkwardly to land enough work to survive. He’s alienated family and friends with his slothful dependency, and seeming lack of spark to recover from the loss of the other half of his old duo.

There were two impediments to liking this film more than I did. The first was my admiration for the brilliant Coen brothers who co-wrote and directed this production. Ever since Blood Simple and Raising Arizona (an all-time favorite in the quirky comedy vein) - superb achievements in two vastly different genres - these guys have been one of Hollywood’s most reliable sources for first-rate mainstream and/or cult movies like Fargo and The Big Lebowski, among many more. This gap between expectations and experience is analogous to years of disappointment from the output of another valued source. Let’s call it the Woody Allen Factor.

The second problem is Davis as a protagonist. His behavior and attitude give us nothing to root for, or even care about. He’s not talented, personable or insightful enough to hope for his success; nor is he quite enough of a lout to make us wish for his come-uppance. As presented, Davis hovers in a dull, gray zone between ill-defined and blandly unlikable. We assume he must have been a better performer and person since a handful of others still care about him enough to offer their couch or other forms of support. But many questions linger about how he wound up as we find him during the depicted week of his life. We learn less of whatever’s inside than the title would indicate, and less of a satisfying experience than the Coens typically deliver. Ideally, this will prove to be an overdue misstep, rather than the start of a trend. (12/20/13)