Back home

Inside Llewyn Davis

2824 votes

Producing House

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 2013-10-18

Runtime: 105 mins

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Writer: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Spoken language: English

Genres: Drama, Music

Original title: Inside Llewyn Davis

Production Companies: StudioCanal, Anton Capital Entertainment, Mike Zoss Productions

Production Countries: France, United Kingdom, United States of America

Reviews

G

Geronimo1967
Aspiring folk musician "Llewyn" (Oscar Isaac) finds himself in Greenwich Village in New York during the winter of 1961 trying to make a living from his art. He's a well known face in the clubs having been part of a jobbing duo for many-a-year, but now he is finding it much harder to crack the scene as a solo artist. His aspiration has an habit of blinding him, though, and his somewhat erratic behaviour stresses his relationships with fellow folkies "Jim" (Justin Timberlake) and "Jean" (Carey Mulligan) on whose couches he finds himself increasingly relying. To add to his woes, his manager "Mel" (Jerry Grayson) isn't really much cop and his eponymous album isn't exactly flying off the shelves. "I know", he thinks, a change of scenery. A chance meeting with the enigmatic "Turner" (John Goodman) and his word-shy driver "Johnny" (Garrett Hedlund) takes him to an interview in Chicago with the talent-spotting "Bud" (F. Murray Abraham). Might any of this help our budding Bob Dylan make any progress? The drama itself here is really intimately presented, with some tight photography helping to convey the emotion maelstrom this man is living through as he tries to reconcile his almost puritanical search for perfection with his growing appreciation of the real - and not so accommodating - world. There's a great little song with himself, Timberlake and the sparingly used, but on-form, Adam Driver ("Al") that shows the latter has some solid musical timing, and a good sense of humour too! This looks like a labour of love - not just for the Coen's, but for Isaac who genuinely seems to sweat the role. It's a wee bit wordy, but the ensemble ensure that the segments of his life and travels in search of something intangible become and remain engaging to watch. Oh, and it's true - everyone else does sing Dylan songs better than he does himself!
2024-03-30

k

kineticandroid
At first, I strongly identified with Llewyn Davis' struggles — I think you'd be hard pressed to find a musician who doesn't — but by the film's end, I realize not only how many of those struggles are self-inflicted, I feel as if Llewyn is going to cycle through them many more times before things pick up or bottom out. Musically, Llewyn comes across as scrappy and soulful. He's just the person I'd want singing those sad, world-weary folk songs, at least compared to the cleaner- cut performers he meets throughout the film. And yet, that soul seems to come from tragedies (the suicide of his one-time musical partner) and anxieties (the relationships with family and former lovers) he's too stubborn or poor of spirit to work through properly. He keeps floating by thanks to some enablers. Couches are continually offered for him to sleep on, even after Llewyn insults their owners. A club owner still books him as a performer, even after he is forcibly removed from the club for heckling other performers. It's hard realizing you're in a vicious cycle while you're still inside of it, trying to keep your head above water. It's even harder when connecting with people is as difficult as it is for Llewyn. I feel like the Coen brothers understand that, take it seriously, and yet, from that, created something that made me laugh and engrossed me.
2014-06-21

Recommendations

Life After Death from Above 1979
4.3

Life After Death from Above 1979

2014-10-07

A documentary about the history and reformation of Toronto punk band Death from Above 1979.

Ratcatcher
3.5

Ratcatcher

1999-11-12

James Gillespie is 12 years old. The world he knew is changing. Haunted by a secret, he has become a

Jean-Michel Jarre - Aero
3

Jean-Michel Jarre - Aero

2005-07-19

A pair of beautiful eyes, shot in high-definition cinemascope, gazing out at the listener and reacti

Everything is Wonderful
2.7

Everything is Wonderful

2019-05-23

Set in New York, the film tells the story of the friendship between two European immigrants; Maria a

Perfect Gentlemen
1.5

Perfect Gentlemen

1978-03-14

Women whose husbands are incarcerated decide to band together to rob a hotel safe.

Prick Up Your Ears
3.3

Prick Up Your Ears

1987-04-17

When the young, attractive Joe Orton meets the older, more introverted Kenneth Halliwell at drama sc

Airport 1975
2.9

Airport 1975

1974-10-18

When an in-flight collision incapacitates the pilots of an airplane bound for Los Angeles, stewardes

Tinta Sangre
0

Tinta Sangre

2013-12-13

A black comedy that portraits a chain of six romances united by chance. In Tinta Sangre the protagon

Snow
2.5

Snow

2015-10-09

"Snow" is a film for the choice, betrayal and forgiveness between brothers and sons, narrated on the

The Heiress
3.9

The Heiress

1949-10-06

In 1840s New York, the uneventful and boring days of the daughter of a wealthy doctor come to an end

Stonewall
2.8

Stonewall

1995-12-26

A group of gay friends try to live with dignity and self-respect while events build to the opening b

Heaven & Hell: Live From Radio City Music Hall
3.6

Heaven & Hell: Live From Radio City Music Hall

2007-08-28

This live concert recording captures the sold-out Radio City Music Hall performance of former Black

The Milk of Sorrow
3.1

The Milk of Sorrow

2009-02-13

Fausta is suffering from a rare disease called the Milk of Sorrow, which is transmitted through the

You'll Never Get Rich
3.2

You'll Never Get Rich

1941-09-25

A Broadway choreographer gets drafted and coincidentally ends up in the same army base as the boyfri

Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux
3.5

Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux

2004-01-26

On July 15, 2004, Santana took to the stage in Montreux accompanied by a stunning line-up of guests

Style Wars
3.7

Style Wars

1984-01-23

Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's PBS documentary tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New

Lust for Life
3.6

Lust for Life

1956-09-15

An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talen

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood: Live from Madison Square Garden
3.1

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood: Live from Madison Square Garden

2009-05-18

Winwood and Clapton crossed musical paths in 1969 with the formation of Blind Faith, a group that pi

Neil Young with Crazy Horse: Psychedelic Pill
2.1

Neil Young with Crazy Horse: Psychedelic Pill

2012-11-19

Blu-ray release of the 2012 Neil Young & Crazy Horse album, Psychedelic Pill. Recorded right after A

The Current
3

The Current

2014-01-01

Jake loves living in Chicago but when big city violence hits a little too close to home his parents