Review of Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) by Rex N — 11 Mar 2014

Oscar Isaac does a nice job and sings creditably. But there is really nothing redemptive in this movie, whose premise is that life sucks on most days and that on other days you get shat on mightily. This is not really a documentary; and it is disjointed and not really funny.

What is John Goodman doing in the movie? Why does Jean only talk loudly and angrily, without acknowledging that she was not unconscious when she got pregnant with a condom-less partner (not her husband).

The cat, which serves as muse, fore-and after-shadower, should not be a pivotal character in a good movie. Ergo, this is not a good movie. The Coen brothers can do and have done much better. If they are playing a joke on movie goers, it is amazing that so many viewers and critics have not caught on to it.

I find it inconceivable that this was intended as a serious attempt at art with a message, or even a realistic slice of folk noir. If you want to see a good show that is not about anything, just watch any Seinfeld re-run.