Ethan and Joel Coen
again trade up genres with “Inside Llewyn Davis,” a morbid, often hilarious
musical biopic unlike those about Johnny Cash or Ray Charles. See, Llewyn Davis
–- played by Oscar Issac in an Oscar-worthy performance –- does not strike it
rich, land the girl, and get a celebrity to play him in a big movie. This is
the guy who doesn’t make it. He’s among the hundreds of crooners whose records
sit unpurchased, him on a street corner playing between car horns. Davis is a
folk singer in 1961 New York who pisses on success and press coverage, yet rues
his laughable inability to gain a foothold to be heard. The character is indeed
fictional, but his story rings more true than that of Bob Dylan (who can be
heard at the finale). Some critics dumped on “Davis” because they see the Coens
as torturing their hero for sick laughs. Wrong. They love this guy despite all
his incredible blundering errors. They just cut the bullshit and remind us in
our “American Idol” instant-celebrity era, that no, not everyone gets that
happy ending. They get punched. Issac is fantastic, as an actor and musician. And good to see John Goodman again. A-
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment