Inside Llewyn Davis review

So, I finally caught it. The new movie by the Coen brothers. You've probably heard all of the praise of it, and I can say that absolutely all of it is deserved. Inside Llewyn Davis is one of the year's best movies.

Inside Llewyn Davis' greatest strength is its characters. These characters are all well-crafted, fleshed-out, and engaging. Of note is, of course, the protagonist. As has been said in other reviews, he's not exactly a good person, but he's still strangely likable. This may be because of the time we spend with him and his circumstances. He does not lead a good life, and this elicits some sympathy for him. As we go through the movie's cast of great characters, he's the constant. He's the thing tying this movie together. And if he was written any differently, his worse tendencies might make the movie less watchable-but the way he's written is ultimately the highlight of the movie.

Of course, the story is great as well. There isn't an overarching narrative so much as several small conflicts that come together and texture the titular character's life. The engaging cast and writing pull you along this series of issues as Llewyn goes through negative experience after negative experience. It's all written in a way that consecutively manages to be funny while also holding up the drama.

The film is shot with a very gray colour palette. It keeps this cold, melancholy style even in the funnier moments, managing to keep the weight of the movie intact. Shots are deliberate and gorgeous, and overall the cinematography is just plain brilliant. The music is nicely performed as well, making the film appealing to both the eyes and the ears. However, it really is the writing that makes the movie compelling.

Inside Llewyn Davis is one of the hardest movies to describe my enjoyment of. Sure, it's easy to simply say that it's a well-shot, well-written, engaging masterpiece, but it's more than that, and describing that is somehow less easy. Regardless, it's definitely one of the year's best films-and you should see it while it's still in theaters.