Cheer up Llewyn. You might have been lumbered with a Countdown Conundrum of a name
but you've got really great hair
Inside Llewyn Davis, the new film by the Coen Brothers is released this week, telling the tale of the title character's attempt to crack the emerging folk scene of America in 1961, just pre-Dylan. Shot in a sombre palette that perfectly conjures the mood of a downtrodden folk singer trying to stay warm in the Greenwich Village winter as he and his guitar travel from one disappointment to another, it's both funny and, like all great folk songs, melancholy. With a breakthrough performance from lead actor Oscar Isaac (who performs the songs in the film himself) it shares much with the Coen's other great music focused, period piece O, Brother Where Art Thou? Not only in the music but also in references to Homer's Odyssey and Ulysses in the character's journey. Llewyn's journey though, seems as if it may never reach his destination as he rotates sofa to sofa of the few friend's who'll still have him to stay.
Along with being one of my favourite works by the filmmaking siblings (it's currently in my top 3) it's also got some of my favourite hair from any of their films - certainly better than the the mo' and burns' combo Nicholas Cage sports in Razing Arizona. Justin Timberlake looks like he could have just stepped out of Murdock Shoreditch with his neat side-parted quiff and well groomed beard but it's Oscar Isaac's hair we really like. He has the hair and beard of a free spirit, anti-commercial artist. A strong beard and ever-messy bed head. In reality this means with no fixed abode, grooming isn't very far up his list of priorities and the longer hair length signalling someone who hasn't the money for regular trips to the barber. But this isn't real down on your luck hair. This is Hollywood down on your luck hair and it's been, as well as his beard, well looked maintained to achieve that look. His beard is in fact, very neat - the tell-tale sign being his clean neck line. And we like that.
The facial hair in this photo is on a descending scale of mightiness from left to right
Again the facial hair in this photo is on a descending scale of mightiness from left to right but we think the clean shaven look works well on Carey Mulligan
Inside Llweyn Davis is released in UK cinemas on January 24th.