Starring Oscar Isaac, Hollywood's Most Talked-About Actor

Joel and Ethan Coen, the Coen Brothers, have crafted unique worlds within their human dramas, including the Oscar-winning No Country (2007) and True Grit (2010). This latest work, based on the memoirs of legendary folk singer Dave Van Ronk, who was an idol of Bob Dylan, has been acclaimed worldwide, including at the Cannes Film Festival.

The lead role is played by Oscar Isaac, an actor whose star is rising in Hollywood, with a confirmed role in Star Wars: Episode VII (tentative). This marks his first leading role. In a testament to the Coen Brothers' vision, all live performance scenes were filmed without dubbing, showcasing Isaac's captivating guitar playing and singing that will move audiences.

The film also features Carey Mulligan as the heroine, alongside Justin Timberlake, who is active not only as a musician but also as an actor in recent years.

The Coen Brothers are known for their meticulous attention to music. For this film, which centers on a singer, they enlisted T Bone Burnett, a producer renowned in the American music scene, as music producer. Marcus Mumford of the popular British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, who is also Carey Mulligan's husband, participated as a co-producer on the soundtrack.

Llewyn Embarks on a Journey with His Guitar and a Cat

New York City, Greenwich Village, 1961. Folk singer Llewyn Davis finds himself in a streak of bad luck. His records aren't selling, he has no place to live, and he's crashing at friends' apartments. To make matters worse, a female friend he casually dated reveals she is pregnant.

As if to escape this string of troubles, Llewyn sets out on a journey to re-evaluate his life, guitar in hand, with a cat as his companion.

Set in the era just before Bob Dylan, the "revolutionary of folk music," emerged and dramatically changed the folk scene, this film uniquely portrays Llewyn's struggle to live earnestly amidst a changing world, using a distinctive narrative style and beautiful cinematography. It's a warm message from the Coen Brothers to those grappling with the gap between ideals and reality, and struggling through a life that doesn't go as planned.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Opening nationwide on Friday, May 30th, at TOHO Cinemas Chanter and other theaters.
Directed and Written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, Justin Timberlake
Distributed by Longride
2013 / USA / 104 minutes
http://www.insidellewyndavis.jp

Photo by Alison Rosa Ⓒ 2012 Long Strange Trip LLC