3) Inside Llewyn Davis
By design, nothing about a Coen brothers movie is clear-cut. I think my favorite thing about them, especially their most recent work, is that facts are obscured and presented in shades of gray, and Inside Llewyn Davis may be the grayest of them all, with a color palette to reflect that. Questions that may seem to have easy answers at first become complicated the more you think about them. The cat is supposed to represent Llewyn right? Well, maybe not. He might also represent Mike. Because the Gorfeins are Mike’s parents, aren’t they? Well, they could just be the types of academics who housed folk singers in that period so they could seem more “with it.” And on and on.
It’s equally unclear as to whether Llewyn is a tragic figure who is always at the right place at the wrong time, or if he’s the architect of his own sad fate. This should be something most of us can relate to. The argument over whether we’re responsible for what becomes of us or whether we’re programmed for certain things from birth is endless. What’s also relatable, in some way or another, is the most devastating line from the movies this year, delivered by F. Murray Abraham: “I don’t see a lot of money here.” All the talent in the world, and he remains obscure because of a lack of perceived marketability. Under-appreciated in his time. I think all of us feel this way at some point or another. In Llewyn, it’s nice to have a little company.