Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), R, 4 stars

Oscar Isaac (Llewyn Davis) looking out the window.

Blood Simple, Barton Fink, Miller's Crossing, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men, etc. This is some of the finest work that the Coen brothers put on screen and in their spectacular filmography. However, what is so astounding about the Coen brothers is that they could take any material, original or adapted, and make it into something better. And now, here they are with this movie, Inside Llewyn Davis. This movie can be placed with their finest work in their filmography.

The movie is set in 1961 where Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), who is a struggling folk singer living in New York (another New York story). There have been many good New York fables in the last few years. His solo record is not selling, he has suffered setbacks, he does not have a lot of money and he is sleeping in friends' couches. His friend and musical partner, Mike, has committed suicide.

Llewyn performs at a cafe, Gaslight Cafe, where a man in a suit beats the heck out of Llewyn for having made fun of a performance at the venue. Llewyn has friends named Jim and Jean (Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan) where they have an apartment where he takes the Gorfeins' orange cat to. Llewyn talks with his manager, Mel, to talk about why his solo act is not successful. However, Mel makes a deal with Llewyn and gives him some cash and sent the copy of the record to a Chicago producer.

Llewyn is constantly in struggles and is misdirected to see where he is going. However, he gets a big break where Davis is invited by Jim to record and play at Columbia Records where he sings with Jim and folk musician Al Cody (Adam Driver), they record a novelty song. However, with some problems with pursuing a job and paying money to a gynecologist about Jean's pregnancy and abortion, how is Llewyn's life going to end up and will he ever lay off his slothfulness?

Llewyn and Jim (Justin Timberlake) singing at a recording session.

This movie is an outlook of 1960s folk music and there is a sense of dark philosophical comedy that really underlines a struggling folk musician trying to get a break. But, here's my analysis of this movie: Llewyn Davis is not really a hero because he does not do any heroic tasks. He's an incompetent SOB. These folk musicians are going after their glory and pride and daydream of how they are going to be successful. We are looking at a portrait of a man who seems to be in consternation, however, he is a pain in the butt. It is a strange, ironic coincidence.

Oscar Isaac is powerful and moving playing a jerk who actually does not go anywhere. But, we do pay attention to him because the Coens really centralizes his characters' troubles and misfortunes. Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, F. Murray Abraham are quite really good in their performances as they convey their talents, happiness, bitterness onto the screen as the viewer will take away from after walking out of the theater.

Inside Llewyn Davis is not a major movie, but it is a small gem in the compilation of the masterworks from both Ethan and Joel Coen. It is a strange, funny and sad movie to watch a man wanting to pursue something but has to focus on more bigger and more important priorities than his folk music. You have to have money and aspirations and perseverance to get what you want in life, otherwise, if you're lucky, how far are you going to get? This is a lesson and I think many people will learn that lesson. This is an affecting and well-acted movie that is surrounded by the decadence of folk music that is in a great soundtrack.

****