As a self-professed fan of black comedies, I enjoy seeking out the one that does the absolute best job at balancing humor and drama. Some are more laugh-out-loud hilarious, like The King of Comedy, while others lean much more into the serious & tragic elements of life, like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. But few, in my humble opinion, manage to deftly manage both with such grace & prowess as one of my favorite films from the Coen Brothers: Inside Llewyn Davis, the Oscar Isaac-starring character study. Simply put, it stands alongside the likes of Fargo and True Grit as one of the Coen’s biggest artistic achievements of their decades-spanning directorial career. Furthermore, ten years after its release, it remains one of the prime examples of how to do a black comedy right.
Why? I guess you’ll have to keep reading to find out… 😉 [NOTE: This blog contains spoilers for “Inside Llewyn Davis.” You have been warned.] The Good While the Coen Brothers are considered accomplished & outstanding writer-directors, I fully admit that not all of their movies resonate with everyone. Certainly, their dark humor & cynical sensibilities don’t always work for me. However, Inside Llewyn Davis is easily one of their best screenplays. While not as kinetic as Fargo or intense as True Grit, the story they tell of struggling folk singer Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac)—whose life is a constant cycle of betraying peoples’ trust and failing to live up to some basic standards of decency—makes for compelling drama with a tinge of black comedy. Sure, it’s resolutely depressing. And yet the way they find levity in the dour makes for interesting, character-driven antics that feel both grounded and surreal thanks to the world of folk-infused Greenwich Village that they construct. Which brings me to their directing style. This can easily be more off-putting to some not in sync with the Coen’s artistic oeuvre. Fortunately, it very much works for this film. There are a few particular creative choices they made that are not only commendable but that (in my humble opinion) allowed Inside Llewyn Davis to be a modern classic. First and foremost, I greatly respect the decision to feature exclusively live performance for the singing scenes. It adds to the gritty rawness of Davis’ impoverished lifestyle while also fully immersing the audience in the emotionally cathartic moments for his character (not to mention the supporting roles who sing throughout the runtime). Adding to that gritty, dour atmosphere is their choice for lighting (which I’ll elaborate on in the next section). The aesthetic that they chose to craft for Greenwich Village is so fitting for the story they set out to tell because it grounds some of the more heightened aspects of Davis’ cyclical journey in this very believable setting of the New York folk scene at the peak of the Cold War. In both their writing and directing, the Coens did an exceptional job making Inside Llewyn Davis accessible & relatable without sacrificing their integrity as artists. The film unquestionably gels very well with their broader filmography, but just feels like a movie that I could show to someone not ingratiated to their style totally carefree because I’m confident it will resonate with most people. The Great But what about the great aspects of Inside Llewyn Davis? While the Coen’s overall direction is solid, I feel it’s important to spotlight a couple of particular crew members behind the camera whose work does much of the heavy lifting for the film without you even realizing it. To start with something I touched on earlier, the cinematography is straight-up amazing. Done by French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Big Eyes, Darkest Hour), he has a signature style that certainly wouldn’t make sense for every kind of movie. But it really works well here. Specifically, his hyper-stylistic use of desaturated color palette does wonders for the visual world-building of Davis’ day-to-day life. His emphasis on diluted grays and blues enhances the Coen’s creative vision by creating that visual blanket over Greenwich Village & the broader folk scene. Simply put, it lets the viewer know how saw Davis’ life is before he even does anything depressing. Yet, it gets better. By beautifully clashing his use of color with hard shadows, Delbonnel’s eye for melancholy via imagery perfectly fits the Coen’s narrative by making Davis’ world devoid of any hope without being overly sad. Without question, though, the biggest unsung hero of Inside Llewyn Davis is the soundtrack. In lieu of a traditional film score, the Coens enlisted the artistic genius of music producer Joseph “T Bone” Burnett (who they previously collaborated with on The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and The Ladykillers). Formerly the guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-1970s, Burnett brings a clear understanding of how to accurately capture the sound of 1960s folk music. In addition to arranging traditional folk songs like “Dink’s Song” and “The Death of Queen Jane,” he oversaw incredible covers of songs from accomplished folk artists—Tom Paxton’s “The Last Thing On My Mind,” Hedwig “Hedy” West’s “Five Hundred Miles,” and Ewan MacColl’s “The Shoals of Herring” (just to name a few)—by the actors. In other words, without his delicate hand on this soundtrack the Coen’s choice to feature live performance simply wouldn’t feel as authentic & effective. But it does, and Burnett’s soundtrack remains one I revisit every now & then because it’s so special. It’s just not the kind of soundtrack you hear in movies. Even ones about music, which utterly boggles my mind. The Groundbreaking If something is iconic about Inside Llewyn Davis, it’s the central performance from Oscar Isaac. While a household name nowadays thanks to his roles in major franchises from Star Wars to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Isaac had some notable supporting roles in the early 21st century (such as Robert Connelly’s Balibo and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive), it was his breathtaking turn as Llewyn Davis for the Coen Brothers here that earned him major recognition in the film industry that unquestionably launched his career. But why is that? What is it about Isaac’s take on this seemingly irredeemable character that makes it noteworthy & set him on a course for success in Hollywood? I think the answer’s simpler than one may think at first. He’s FUCKING AWESOME in this movie! To be a little more specific, he grabs your attention from the very first scene (certainly helped by his soulful singing voice). He’s magnetic in how he helps keep Davis a sympathetic ne’er-do-well whose flaws & mistakes end up endearing him to the audience instead of turning us off to him. Beyond his admirable physical qualities, Isaac’s more vulnerable moments (whether it be lashing out over his old singing partner’s suicide or forcing himself to accept being rejected to his face) ensure that Davis remains consistently relatable & engaging. Even when he’s a bit of an ass. 😊 Conclusion Need I say more? Inside Llewyn Davis is both a modern classic & one of the Coen Brothers’ best films. It’s effortless mix of comedy, drama, & style forms a rich visual tapestry that blends exceptionally well with the sound of mid-century folk music to remind us that life can get us down sometimes despite trying everything in our power to overcome the challenges. And then it asks us if getting back up is even worth it. In my humble opinion, it is…if you need to track down the missing cat. 😊 What do you like or dislike about the Coen’s melancholic dramedy Inside Llewyn Davis? Do you hold it in as high regard as I do? What opinions of mine do you find absolutely ridiculous? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, this has been… Yours Truly, Amateur Analyst
0 Comments
|
Austin McManusI have no academic or professional background in film production or criticism; I simply love watching and talking about movies. Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|