The Greatest Showman #1070: Art Resonance

"Drunken Country Ballad" – it's a poetic title, isn't it?

However, this is a derivative interpretation of the Chinese translation. The original English title of the film is Inside Llewyn Davis, a nod to the album by Dave Van Ronk, a folk singer. The Coen brothers, the film's directors, have mentioned that the title is inspired by this punk album.

Renly, however, finds more resonance in the Chinese translation. It captures the sadness and resignation of a homeless, struggling individual in a way that feels more authentic to the film's themes.

Set in 1960s New York, the film centers on Llewyn Davis, an unknown folk singer living in poverty, homeless, and without a regular job. He depends heavily on his friends, yet refuses to compromise his artistic integrity for popular success. This unyielding spirit, though admirable, only makes his situation more dire, as he pursues a hopeless dream of becoming a renowned folk singer.

After its release, the film sparked mixed reactions. While critics praised it, awarding it a high score of 93% and naming it the best film of the year by authoritative outlets like Film Review, New York Times, and Village Voice, audiences were less receptive. They felt the film didn't measure up to the Coen brothers' other works, such as No Country for Old Men and Frozen. Even the IMDb rating hovered at a modest 7.5.

This disparity isn't hard to explain. Drunken Country Ballad isn't a typical American film—it's more akin to a European art film. The narrative doesn't follow a clear structure with a cause-and-effect plot. Instead, it presents a snapshot of one man's life over a few days, capturing his emotional state in an almost cyclical manner.

The beginning and end of the film are almost identical, with the only change being the camera angle and some minor variations in the scenes. The core idea, however, remains unchanged, emphasizing that sometimes, shooting a film is akin to not shooting it at all.

More importantly, Llewyn Davis is a failure. This isn't an uplifting or inspirational story. There's no redemption arc or dream fulfilled. At the beginning, he's hopeless, and by the end, he remains the same—still adrift, still broken.

In Europe, films like this are more common. They reflect a specific moment in time, capturing the essence of an era, leaving room for philosophical reflection. In contrast, American audiences often struggle to connect with such art films, as they lack the quick satisfaction offered by more conventional narratives.

The Oscars provided further evidence of this disconnect. Despite the Coen brothers' widespread acclaim, Drunken Country Ballad received only two nominations—Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing—and was overlooked for categories like Best Original Score or Best Original Song.

Objectively, compared to the socio-political themes of their other works, Drunken Country Ballad might seem more trivial. Yet, for Renly, it's his favorite Coen brothers film.

The 1960s Greenwich Village is now legendary. Music enthusiasts frequently romanticize the time and place, discussing the artists who defined it. Yet, back then, it was a grueling journey for the generation of folk singers, with no glamor or dreamy allure—just a cold and challenging reality.

Despite the wave of folk music, as Ethan said, "It doesn't matter who you are; what matters is that you are part of this wave of folk music," only a few would find success. The rest were left to survive in poverty, their dreams slipping away.

Everyone wanted to be Bob Dylan, but there was only one Bob Dylan.

The film portrays three characters, each facing different paths: Jim (played by Justin Timberlake), Jane (Carey Mulligan), and Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac).

Jim is a kind man who, after failing to achieve his dream, compromises by singing commercial songs to survive. Jane, raised in a hippie culture, treats music as a hobby and chooses a more stable life with Jim. Llewyn, however, is the only one who remains stubborn, unwilling to change his vision.

These characters symbolize the Coen brothers' reflection on the tension between dreams and reality, and their exploration of the art world and the era. By choosing Llewyn as the protagonist, the film focuses on the heartbreaking cycle of persistence in the face of inevitable failure.

This sense of hopelessness and being trapped between dreams and reality resonates deeply, despite being difficult for many viewers to understand. In a world of fast-food culture and instant gratification, where dreams are often shallow and disposable, Drunken Country Ballad tells the story of a man's stubborn pursuit of an unreachable ideal.

In a way, Renly sees himself in Llewyn. He recalls the old Frank in the nameless bar, next to the cemetery where Heather Cross once lay. Frank, much like Llewyn, is a man who never achieved his dreams but clings to them, even if they remain unfulfilled. Frank, like Llewyn, is a "loser"—someone society would forget—but deep within, there remains a flicker of the dream, illuminating their lives in small, persistent ways.

It's a story about persistence, about dreams, about life—just as it was for George Slender and Heather Cross, just as it was for Trudeau and Renly Hall.

Renly sees his own journey mirrored in this tale of sticking with one's dreams, even when all seems lost. The path of dreams is never easy; it's much easier to give up, to let go and watch your dreams disappear into the ether. The easy way is to conform, to blend in with the crowd, to let go of one's edge.

But it takes courage and perseverance to hold on, to choose freedom, to keep that edge intact, to carve out a path that is uniquely one's own.

In Drunken Country Ballad, Renly sees his own shadow, his own story, reflected in the unyielding spirit of Llewyn Davis.