"Inside Llewylyn Davis"--sneak review

[belbein]

I'm sure this movie will attract a lot of interest, since so many of us are folk music and old time music fanatics. I got to see a preview screening tonight, and wanted to give you a heads-up.

Not to put a fine point on it: the movie sucked.

The music was great, make no mistake. There are some pretty impressive musical performances. Unfortunately, between the nice performances, there were long stretches of dismal interaction, boring dialogue, and repetitive scenes, and the most unremitting bleakness I've seen since "Leaving Las Vegas."

So, there's good music. And the actors turn out excellent performances. But other than that: nothing. There is no story. There are no characters, either: they are all one-dimensional stereotypes. Nor is there any character development: not one of the characters is any different at the end of the film than at the beginning. The title character learns nothing, changes not at all, comes to no great revelation--not even a tiny glimmer of movement--and the end is (literally) the beginning.

Properly speaking, there aren't really even characters. They are all recognizable folk-music stereotypes: the upper-middle-class folk music codependents, the groupies, the Beat poets, the mercenary agents, the bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed winners on their way up and the continually losing losers on their way down. None of them is even two dimensional. And nobody--not a single character--comes out of the movie without the director and writers sneering at them with complete disdain. (With the possible exception of a cat or two, which come off pretty well.)

So: no plot, no characterization, no moral to this story. At best, a half dozen good songs, one or two interesting cinematography choices, and two cats. At worst: there are several hours of my life that would have been better spent working scales, finishing my GBOM, or even cleaning the bathtub drain.

I hope this saves a few of you a few dollars and a few priceless hours of your life.

[Dave LaBoone]

Thanks for your review. I've been listening to the album a LOT, and was looking forward to the film, but maybe I'll be better off spinning the soundtrack at home instead. Great music!
Best,
Dave

[coletrickle]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. Interesting reviews from the critics out there. Many glowing reviews, while others say it falls short. Now I'm intrigued

I noticed this part of your review..."Nor is there any character development: not one of the characters is any different at the end of the film than at the beginning. The title character learns nothing, changes not at all, comes to no great revelation--not even a tiny glimmer of movement--and the end is (literally) the beginning."

For any literature buffs out there...does that bear a resemblance to a James Joyce novel...i.e. Finnegans Wake? It's been a while since college lit for me. One of the reviews I read noted that a cat is prominent fixture in the movie...with the name Ulysses. The film covers just a couple of days as well, from what I read.

The Coens tackled Homer in Oh Brother...maybe this is a stab at Joyce? Maybe it is just too late and I need to go to bed!

[Petrus]

You seem to be in the minority as other reviewers have praised this film. I like anything by the Coens (even The Ladykillers and Intolerable Cruelty!) and I'm looking forward to this.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...#axzz2nEfv9H93

[ald]

I beg to disagree, I thought the film was fabulous. The cinema was packed and everyone fully enjoyed it. Memerising performances, beautiful directing, good music.

[Larry S Sherman]

...and two cats.

You had me at "Cats"!



I tend to like things others hate, and vice versa, so now I'm really looking forward to it.

Thanks!

Larry

[cayuga red]

" I hope this saves a few of you a few dollars and a few priceless hours of your life."[/QUOTE]

Many thanks. You've provided a great service to Cafe members. Thanks for posting!

[Jim Garber]

Full multiple thumbs-down, belbein? I am surprised.

I haven't seen it yet but it is tops on my list. I love all the Coen Bros. movies but I am a fan of the dark and quirky. The reviews in the NY Times and the New Yorker were largely positive. That, of course, doesn't mean it is automatically an amazing film. This was supposedly loosely based on Dave Van Ronk's biography and the plot structure based on Homer's Odyssey on which of course Joyce based Ulysses. The major criticism I have read talked about the personality of Llewyn Davis (misspelled BTW on the thread title) being sort of nebulous. I will report back when I actually see it.

[mandocrucian]

So... in comparison to The Master, where does it lie on the "WTF?/I blew $$$ on this?" scale?

Also on the "WTF? " list:
Valhalla Rising
Melancholia
Eraserhead

Depresso list:
Valhalla Rising
The Road
Melancholia
Eraserhead

[jaycat]

If a film isn't in black and white and doesn't feature either Sydney Greenstreet or Peter Lorre, I can always find something else to do.

[Dave Hicks]

I'm looking forward to it (if it ever opens out here in the provinces), but I'm not expecting a cheerful, uplifting experience.

D.H.

[sgarrity]

It's worth going just to listen to the soundtrack

[Jim Garber]

I know that trailers can be deceptive but when I watched a couple of them for this movie I wanted to see it even more. As Sean says, the soundtrack would make it worth it. Then again, I am a Coen Brothers fan.

[mandolino maximus]

I loved Fargo, but friends from just north of Minnesota (and with about that accent) thought it was the most horrid movie ever. Sometimes "warts and all" portraits come off that way.

[foldedpath]

Coen Bros. movies are something of an acquired taste, and it looks like this is also about New York City life, which is another acquired taste.

I don't want to live in NYC or be a folksinger, but I'll see this when it comes out on Netflix, just because it's a Coen Bros. movie. I haven't loved everything they've done, but I've enjoyed most of their work, and every film has at least been interesting.

[Timothy S]

I saw the film last night and enjoyed it. It's a "slice of life" story rather than an epic with intense dramatic tension and resolution. I'm not biased towards the Coens' films, but I'll say the cinematography was beautiful and most of the acting was great, save for one actress. I certainly can see how the film won't appeal to a wide audience, but if you understand what you're getting into, I think it makes it more enjoyable. For what it's worth, I'd recommend seeing it at some point, though not necessarily in theaters.

[jefflester]

Showtime special on the September concert inspired by/celebration of the movie airs Friday:
http://www.sho.com/sho/movies/titles...er-time#/index
Punch Brothers provide backup for a lot of the other artists as well.

[bayAreaDude]

Sounds great even based on your review. I don't have issues with any of the things you pointed out, in fact, that's how I'd make a movie. Not sure what you were expecting from the Coens - Mighty Wind?

[mandocrucian]

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I remember reading an interview with the Coen Bros that the film doesn't have a traditional plot line, and I thought to myself this will probably not going to go over well with even some of their fans. I'll probably see it when it comes out, but I'm not expecting 'Fargo', 'Barton Fink' or even 'No Country for Old Men'.

[OldSausage]

We say we like creativity, but really, we don't.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health..._thinking.html

[Bluejay]

There is no such thing as bad advertising. You have spread the word. Even though you say you didn't like the film you are compelled to post about it. The movie has done it's job, it made you think.

[belbein]

There is no such thing as bad advertising. You have spread the word. Even though you say you didn't like the film you are compelled to post about it. The movie has done it's job, it made you think.

It did not make me think. It made me mad. It made me sorry that I supported a genre that I despise (the movie/story/novel/play that ain't about nothin') with my presence. I wrote to protest my own participation in the degradation of dramatic arts.

[Jim Garber]

It did not make me think. It made me mad. It made me sorry that I supported a genre that I despise (the movie/story/novel/play that ain't about nothin') with my presence. I wrote to protest my own participation in the degradation of dramatic arts.

I guess you were not a fan of Seinfeld either?

[Randy Smith]

After today's slice of my life, it's fun to read this thread. I've been looking forward to seeing this film, especially after hearing John Goodman's lines.