After receiving glowing reviews from critics and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Picture, and with a soundtrack from producers T Bone Burnett and Marcus Mumford, you likely don’t need any more of a reason to catch Joel and Ethan Coen’s latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis. With its limited release coming up on December 6, more clips have made their way online. You know, just in case you need more convincing to see what should be one of the year’s best films.
The footage highlight the Coen Brothers’ dark, acerbic humour than has become a directorial staple, as well as the misery of protagonist Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac. In the first clip, Llewyn strums on an acoustic guitar during a family dinner, but he does not take to harmonizing with his guests very well. In the second clip, he drives with an equally sour companion, jazz musician Roland Turner (John Goodman). Roland berates Llewyn’s choice of profession even further and has some choice words about Llewyn’s old buddy, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge. As always, Goodman knows grumpy, smart-alecky humour better than anyone, which explains why he often appears in the Coens’ films.
Meanwhile, Oscar Isaac is one of modern American cinema’s most underappreciated actors. Like 12 Years a Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nebraska‘s Bruce Dern, the Oscar contender is yet another character actor finding praise (and nominations) for tackling a lead role.
From the strong musical qualities to the period details, and with sharp writing and performances, these clips give more proof that Inside Llewyn Davis is one worth checking out when it hits theatres in December.
