There’s really only one other trailer this year that may have come close to matching this Inside Llewyn Davis’ spot, and that’s the first preview of Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. That one’s a manic romp through Wall Street circles punctuated by the wonderfully bizarre antics of Matthew McConaughey, and that’s great. This trailer, though, is so beautifully paced. It opens with a punch to the face. It only offers little glimpses, passing moments, between these characters. We see Carey Mulligan’s subtle lift of the eyebrows, John Goodman’s sarcastic charm, and Llewyn’s agent, Mel, with the best line of the spot: “…how ya doin’, kid?” All synced as perfectly as possible with that beautiful Mumford/Isaac song.
Lots of movies are still poised to make a big splash this winter season. American Hustle, Her, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, even the Anchorman sequel are worthy of giddy anticipation for December moviegoers. For me though, none of them can raise a candle, or a menorah, to Inside Llewyn Davis. The yearly movie season should always end with the Coen brothers, and it’s assuring that 2013 will wind down with them bidding us a lovely “fare thee well.” Probably!
