‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ FFCC Reviews
FFCC members review Inside Llewyn Davis, the latest film from the Coen brothers.
Hans Morgenstern – Independent Ethos
“With their new film Inside Llewyn Davis, the Coen Brothers show a profound understanding of the existential quandary of musicians. As a longtime chronicler of the local Miami music scene, I have met many talented musicians who have fallen on one side of the fine line of recognition versus the other. In between there are many levels of accomplishments that defy such black and white notions as success versus failure. Whoever thinks becoming a recognizable musician defines success will miss out on the divine subtlety of Inside Llewyn Davis.”
Reuben Pereira – Film Frontier
“Like their 2009 masterpiece A Serious Man, which mined similar themes of failure and struggle, the Coens aren’t interested in appealing to the widest audiences possible. This is a sublime and intimate character-driven piece that captures what it’s like to be talented yet being stuck in a never-ending cycle of failure and rejection.”
Steve Persall – Tampa Bay Times
“Crafted by the Coens with their signature random deadpan style, Inside Llewyn Davis begins and ends with the title character punched in the nose. By the second assault we understand why; it’s just another coda in the antisocial life of a charismatic artist. The Coens fashion an atmospheric descent for Llewyn, a meticulous re-creation of Greenwich Village’s folk scene in 1961, around the time Bob Dylan hit town.”
Rene Rodriguez – The Miami Herald
“You may not like Llewyn much, but you don’t laugh at him, either. The Coens take care of that for you, ending the movie with a bitter twist that suggests that along with luck, Llewyn could have benefitted from a little better timing, too. Inside Llewyn Davis is one of the Coens’ smallest movies — this one doesn’t have the broad appeal of True Grit or No Country For Old Men — but like Llewyn’s music, it comes from the heart and is deeply felt. It is also one of their best.”
