Inside Llewyn Davis opens with Oscar Issac's eponymous character getting beaten up outside a bar following an unseen altercation. Inside Llewyn Davis ends a week later with him once again getting beaten up outside the same bar. In between, Llewyn is offered countless opportunities to set out a new adventure, but each time he's opted down the same old path. This is a movie where typically "nothing happens", which is most certainly the point. When the Coen Brothers are operating at their best, they present perfectly affable narratives that with greater thought post-viewing reveal an incredible level of insight. Inside Llewyn Davis is certainly one of their best and brings this in abundance. With multiples of everything (cats, pregnancies, fights and chances at the big time) it's a snapshot of a cycle of self-propagated destruction. Of course, with February New York wonderfully realised and the joys of folk music so delightfully presented even non-fans of the genre will be humming along, this is a great snapshot of a important time in social and musical terms, which is worthy of praise by itself. But that's all to an end; to highlight just how deep Davis' rut is, emphasised by a cheeky up-and-coming Bob Dylan cameo at the end. The film keeps showing moments where the narrative could pick up, but the character repeatedly tries to keep himself pinned down. At what would be the start of the conventional third act, Llewyn drives past the town where his estranged child lives, but because he is so averse to development he just keeps going. Tragic.
