Today I saw Inside Llewyn Davis, starring Oscar Issac and Carey Mulligan.
Llewyn Davis (Issac) is a 'starving artist' musician in New York. The year is 1961; the mood is grim.
Jean (Mulligan) and Jim (Justin Timberlake) are fellow folk singers who run in the same circles as Llewyn, and Llewyn may or may not have impregnated Jean. This is only one of the apparent many reasons that she hates him.
Davis seems to have a case of perpetual bad luck, but it's terribly hard to sympathize with him because his demeanor is so unappealing. You've met those people—the ones who whine and whine and act as if they're the only person in the world that has to struggle? That's the type of sad sack that Davis encompasses.
So… light attracts light and dark attracts dark. When you fall into a tunnel of darkness and refuse to climb out of it (or lose the will to at least try), you'll only spiral further down. And Davis, who couch surfs his way though his miserable life, is one big ball of darkness.
Jean is so full of venom that we barely even notice when Mulligan's American accent slips or her character tries to do a nice thing for Llewyn. We're way past her by then, having coated us in such anger.
That leaves the brief (but shining) performances by Timberlake and John Goodman to keep things light, and for a few moments they do. Timberlake leading the best song in the film, "Please Mr. Kennedy," and Goodman a passenger on the road trip from hell. Both brilliant performances that gave great flavor to the film.
I can't pretend the Coen brothers haven't done better. This isn't in the same ballpark as No Country for Old Men or The Man Who Wasn't There, but it's not terrible either.
Just make sure you see it when you're in a bright mood or it might bring you down.
~~~
Showing posts with label The Coen Brothers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Coen Brothers. Show all posts
Sunday, January 05, 2014
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
True Grit
This morning I saw True Grit, starring Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges.
I'll confess that I've never watched the original version of this film, but I'm bargaining that gives me an advantage at being objective here.
Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) is on a mission to avenge her father's murder in the old west, and hires the notorious Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to help her track him down.
About five minutes into the film, the audience knows that Ross is the smartest person in town. Never mind the fact she's only 14 and has no experience chasing bad guys, etc. As my Cinebanter partner would say, there is nothing more annoying than a self-righteous, precocious child, but in this case, the character is not so bad.
The only problem with Mattie being so convincing is that all tension is removed. Everyone is aware that she will achieve her goal come hell or high water because her wit and determination will allow for no alternate result. Steinfeld plays the part earnestly and sincerely, and most likely has a bright career ahead of her, but that doesn't forgive the script for removing all surprise at the ending.
Bridges is absolutely believable as the boozy U.S. Marshal, but his speech is so slurred throughout the film that it borders on Sling Blade-like enunciation (or lack thereof). Less mumbling and more stumbling would've been preferred.
Matt Damon as a Texas Ranger in pursuit of the same criminal is another story.
Disclaimer: I love Matt Damon. I think he's one of the finest actors of my generation and I like him in nearly everything I've seen him in. But here, with a bushy mustache and a ridiculous accent, I just couldn't buy it.
He doesn't have the 'evil' or the 'anger' or the 'tough' I expect from gritty cowboys. He doesn't look like a ranger; he appears to be a young man playing dress-up in Western clothes.
I found this unfortunate casting to be distracting and disappointing, and his character to be annoying and forgettable.
The Coen brothers have always been hit (Raising Arizona) or miss (The Ladykillers) for me. Either I love them or I hate them.
In this film, I'm finally split down the middle.
I enjoyed watching Hallie Steinfeld steal the show, and Josh Brolin as a dimwit killer was a pleasure too. Yet Bridges' lack of articulation, Damon's cowboy impersonation coupled with the somewhat boring lapses of time in the middle of scenes kept it from being perfect.
The writer/directors may very well enjoy their customary Oscar nominations, but I truly doubt they have a prayer at winning.
~~~
I'll confess that I've never watched the original version of this film, but I'm bargaining that gives me an advantage at being objective here.
Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) is on a mission to avenge her father's murder in the old west, and hires the notorious Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to help her track him down.
About five minutes into the film, the audience knows that Ross is the smartest person in town. Never mind the fact she's only 14 and has no experience chasing bad guys, etc. As my Cinebanter partner would say, there is nothing more annoying than a self-righteous, precocious child, but in this case, the character is not so bad.
The only problem with Mattie being so convincing is that all tension is removed. Everyone is aware that she will achieve her goal come hell or high water because her wit and determination will allow for no alternate result. Steinfeld plays the part earnestly and sincerely, and most likely has a bright career ahead of her, but that doesn't forgive the script for removing all surprise at the ending.
Bridges is absolutely believable as the boozy U.S. Marshal, but his speech is so slurred throughout the film that it borders on Sling Blade-like enunciation (or lack thereof). Less mumbling and more stumbling would've been preferred.
Matt Damon as a Texas Ranger in pursuit of the same criminal is another story.
Disclaimer: I love Matt Damon. I think he's one of the finest actors of my generation and I like him in nearly everything I've seen him in. But here, with a bushy mustache and a ridiculous accent, I just couldn't buy it.
He doesn't have the 'evil' or the 'anger' or the 'tough' I expect from gritty cowboys. He doesn't look like a ranger; he appears to be a young man playing dress-up in Western clothes.
I found this unfortunate casting to be distracting and disappointing, and his character to be annoying and forgettable.
The Coen brothers have always been hit (Raising Arizona) or miss (The Ladykillers) for me. Either I love them or I hate them.
In this film, I'm finally split down the middle.
I enjoyed watching Hallie Steinfeld steal the show, and Josh Brolin as a dimwit killer was a pleasure too. Yet Bridges' lack of articulation, Damon's cowboy impersonation coupled with the somewhat boring lapses of time in the middle of scenes kept it from being perfect.
The writer/directors may very well enjoy their customary Oscar nominations, but I truly doubt they have a prayer at winning.
~~~
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Serious Man
Today I saw A Serious Man, starring Michael Stuhlbarg and Richard Kind.
Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg) will remind you of every Jewish man you've ever met. Not in a stereotypical way, but in a cultural way.
He seldom feels the need to raise his voice. His appearance is neat and tidy. His wife is bold and controlling. His work and his children and his property mean a lot to him.
Though he appears to be a dedicated husband, father and professor, each part of his world is slowly being dismantled by external forces. His wife is leaving him for his friend, his children are stealing and taking drugs, and a disgruntled student is attempting to sue him because he won't unfairly inflate his grade.
He also has a frightening militant neighbor, a live-in brother (Kind) who is in trouble with the law and difficulty getting an appointment with the sought-after rabbi at his temple. What would bury most men simply piles up in his mind, causing unavoidable nightmares.
I felt sorry for Larry—not just because he didn't appear to deserve all of the bad things that happened to him, but because his meek nature allowed it to continue. He solves most of these problems by throwing money at them (retaining a lawyer, paying for a motel room to sleep in when his wife kicks him out), but at least he's pressing on.
His resolve in the face of adversity is admirable, and though the scenes and situations are undoubtedly comical, it is refreshing to see a main character who doesn't run from his problems or throw things against a wall when things don't go his way.
Stuhlbarg plays the character expertly with quiet intensity. We can feel his tension and pain, but he doesn't burden us with it; it's all kept inside for him to manage. That is partly a credit to the odd, yet solid script from The Coen Brothers. It feels like a screenplay they spent time on, much like The Man Who Wasn't There, and their Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men.
There are many layers to A Serious Man that us viewers don't get to see, but what we do witness is endlessly satisfying. If how we react to things in life defines us, Larry Gopnik serves as a good example of how to deal.
Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg) will remind you of every Jewish man you've ever met. Not in a stereotypical way, but in a cultural way.
He seldom feels the need to raise his voice. His appearance is neat and tidy. His wife is bold and controlling. His work and his children and his property mean a lot to him.
Though he appears to be a dedicated husband, father and professor, each part of his world is slowly being dismantled by external forces. His wife is leaving him for his friend, his children are stealing and taking drugs, and a disgruntled student is attempting to sue him because he won't unfairly inflate his grade.
He also has a frightening militant neighbor, a live-in brother (Kind) who is in trouble with the law and difficulty getting an appointment with the sought-after rabbi at his temple. What would bury most men simply piles up in his mind, causing unavoidable nightmares.
I felt sorry for Larry—not just because he didn't appear to deserve all of the bad things that happened to him, but because his meek nature allowed it to continue. He solves most of these problems by throwing money at them (retaining a lawyer, paying for a motel room to sleep in when his wife kicks him out), but at least he's pressing on.
His resolve in the face of adversity is admirable, and though the scenes and situations are undoubtedly comical, it is refreshing to see a main character who doesn't run from his problems or throw things against a wall when things don't go his way.
Stuhlbarg plays the character expertly with quiet intensity. We can feel his tension and pain, but he doesn't burden us with it; it's all kept inside for him to manage. That is partly a credit to the odd, yet solid script from The Coen Brothers. It feels like a screenplay they spent time on, much like The Man Who Wasn't There, and their Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men.
There are many layers to A Serious Man that us viewers don't get to see, but what we do witness is endlessly satisfying. If how we react to things in life defines us, Larry Gopnik serves as a good example of how to deal.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Burn After Reading
Tonight I saw Burn After Reading, starring John Malkovich and Frances McDormand.
It was the topic of Cinebanter #60, which is available for download here.
It was the topic of Cinebanter #60, which is available for download here.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
No Country for Old Men
Today I saw No Country for Old Men, starring Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem.
It was the topic of Cinebanter #43, which is available here.
It was the topic of Cinebanter #43, which is available here.
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