They idea behind the film was to basically recreate New York’s Greenwich Village musical scene before the arrival of Bob Dylan. For that purpose, we are transported to New York in 1961, to a place called the Gaslight Café, where we meet Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), who is playing for an attentive and receptive crowd. Once he finishes the set, he is told that a guy wanted to talk to him in the alley. He goes there and the fellow beats the hell out of Llewyn, apparently for something that happened the previous night. From then on, we are taken to the recent past, where we see a very talented Llewyn trying to get a chance to show his art, singing folk songs. However, he just can’t get that evading break. You see, the man just has bad luck, as he has a pregnant ex-lover (or not?) who tells him, “Everything you touch turns to s..t,” and verbally abuses him to no end. He is also trying to find a cat that he looses while sleeping in one of his friend’s (and protector) apartment. All these situations are enough to destroy a human soul, but Llewyn keeps trying against all odds. I truly enjoyed Carey Mulligan, as the abusive ex-lover, and John Goodman, as a junkie jazz musician. And Coen Brothers found gold in Isaac, who can actually sing and act – a rarity.

“Inside Llewyn Davis” doesn’t only represent the microcosm of Llewyn’s life, but also the daily existence of any struggling musician in the Greenwich Village scene during those creative years, especially during the nasty winter days. It is real and important. Justin Timberlake also plays a singer trying to make his mark. The DVD includes a very complete making-of documentary. (USA, 2013, color, 104 min plus additional materials)

Reviewed on March 15, 2014. Sony Pictures