Inside Llewyn Davis, directed by the dynamic directorial duo that is the Coen Brothers, follows a week in the life of a folk singer struggling to survive in Greenwich Village during the early sixties. Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is an undoubtedly talented musician, yet he cannot seem to break into the industry, and he finds himself sleeping on couches as he tries to land gigs while staying true to himself and to his art. One of the apartments between which he circulates belongs to Jean Berkey (Carey Mulligan), a woman with whom Llewyn has had a relationship and who now sings in a successful group with her talented husband Jim (Justin Timberlake). Although Jean constantly emanates rage and hatred towards Llewyn, these emotions do not stop her from helping him when he needs it the most.
Technically speaking, Inside Llewyn Davis should not be included in a series that focuses on Best Picture nominees, as it is – shockingly – not one. However, this year the Academy opted to only nominate nine films instead of the maximum ten, and many critics, myself included, believe that this film deserves to round out the category. Here is a sad and slightly bleak film that seeks to represent a realistic portrait of a struggling musician, and does so in typical Coen Brothers fashion. A bit of dark humour a la John Goodman and beautiful cinematography make this a trademark Coen piece, as these directors always pay great attention to detail and craft their films with care. In addition, much time and attention is allowed for the audience to hear Llewyn’s soulful and emotional music, which is necessary for us to understand just how important this element of his life is to him, and is wonderful to listen to completely on its own terms. This lovely film is detailed, thorough, and moving, and there is no doubt in my mind that it deserves the tenth spot in the Best Picture category this year. Why the Academy has opted to allow for an indeterminate number of Best Picture nominations is beyond me. Just as last year, I believed The Sessions to be robbed of its nomination, this year Inside Llewyn Davis fills that position.
Although Inside Llewyn Davis was nominated for Cinematography and Sound Mixing, it is not favoured to win in either category. It was also ignored for Director, and, surprisingly, Song; with a soundtrack this strong, the latter snub stands out in particular. Whether or not this film is honoured at the Academy Awards in any capacity is yet to be determined, but it remains one of my favourites of the year, and I am glad to be able to include it in this year’s season of Talia’s Takes, although not in the position I would have liked.
