Our good friends at Ster Kinekor invited us to review Inside Llewyn Davis, a music meets cinema masterpiece. We sent our writer, Johan Van Rooyen, to enjoy the experience and he's come back full of praise for the marvellous film.

“Hang me, oh hang me; I’ll be dead and gone. Hang me, oh hang me; I’ll be dead and gone.”  goes the first line in the Coen brothers’ latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis – an account of fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis. To be honest, as a regular music and concert reviewer I did feel slightly out my depth being asked to write a film review, but hearing the delicate sounds of Oscar Isaac’s guitar and smooth, clear voice, crooning through the masterfully crafted soundtrack gave me hope.

Although my new-found hopefulness was not a sentiment shared by the main character Llewyn Davis, as the film portrays his struggle to sustain his existence as a folk singer is New York City. As an audience we are moved by the injustice as more of Llewyn’s life story are revealed throughout the film, and allowed moments to share in this feeling he sings songs loaded with the pathos of a man who had witnessed death, suffering, and pain, in order to suffer for his art.

However, that is not to say that the film is wall-to-wall melancholy and heart-break, as it offers a few moments of comedic relief, including the ridiculous song “Please Mr Kennedy” featuring Isaacs alongside Adam Driver and Justin Timberlake (who’s legendary stylishness did not fail to rub off onto his character, folk singer Jim), and Carey Mulligan’s impassioned plea for Llewyn “as a favour to all women, to use condom upon condom, and then wrap it in electrical tape”.

In spite of their role in Llewyn’s despair, the characters and not unlikeable, and the film does not cast any particular character as the villain, or antagonist. As with any good Nouveau film, the audience is left to reflect on the themes and ideas presented and not fed with stock-packaged characters or narratives, which elevates this particular film from the level of entertainment to the level of art.

(Image Credit: Inside Llewyn Davis Official Facebook Promotional Page)