Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating The Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis” is quite simply a great primer to Inside Llewyn Davis, an unsung gem from the Coen Brothers.
Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating The Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis” is quite simply a concert film inspired by the Coen Brothers’ film, Inside Llewyn Davis, which is set in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, featuring live performances of the film’s music, as well as songs from the early 1960s. Performers include the Avett Brothers, Joan Baez, Dave Rawlings Machine, Rhiannon Giddens, Lake Street Dive, Colin Meloy, The Milk Carton Kids, Marcus Mumford, Punch Brothers, Patti Smith, Willie Watson, Gillian Welch, and Jack White, as well as the star of the film Oscar Isaac.
As an actual film is admittedly a little basic as it introduces us to each artist that is taking part in the concert and director Christopher Wilcha does a decent job of taking us through the story of this concert that happened in September of this year at the infamous Town Hall in New York. All he really has to do is document what is happening, as this concert that was produced by T Bone Burnett who also handled all the music in the film manages to tell us so much more then what we see, because it is truly about what we hear. The entire vibe of the film is actually summed up in one of the opening scenes of the film as we see an impromptu jam session/rehearsal that captures the essence of the folk scene of the 1960’s, with these musicians simply telling stories and embracing this powerful and soulful music.
It’s got a fully loaded lineup of top shelf musicians but the one that truly stands out the most is star Oscar Isaac and how much work he put into the role. He can credibly play and hold his own with this lineup that have won countless awards and sold quite a few records. While born in Guatemala and with some musical background of his own, we get a legitimate taste of how much he embraced this slice of Americana to make the role he plays in the film come to life.
Ultimately, it’s not a film that will light the world on fire…but Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating The Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis” succeeds because it makes this wildly vibrant music come alive and the incredibly positive energy that comes off the screen is simply palpable be it in the rehearsal room or on stage in front of a packed audience.
