1961 Greenwich Village. With all its period detail I was surprised the budget for this was only $11m - it took $32m worldwide. And considering how unlucky the title character is, it's another surprise how enjoyable this is. Indeed, in its road movie Chicago section it's actually quite hypnotic, and when he arrives there and auditions for the producer, his song performance is so good you expect him to be signed up on the spot. Instead he's encouraged to get back with his former partner, but by then, we know he's dead. It's another great screenplay that is impossible to predict. Oscar Isaac gives a great performance and has a sweet voice.
Bruno Delbonnel provides another eye-opening photographic experience.
The funniest scene is the performance of 'Please Mr Kennedy'. Why's Adam Driver (hilarious) making those odd one word emissions in the rehearsal? Then in the song, it all makes sense.
And that suggestion the bar owner (Max Casella) has slept with Jean (Carey Mulligan) makes you suddenly suspicious that LD is the father at all. With John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Ethan Phillips and Robin Bartlett, Jerry Grayson, Garrett Hedlund (another of the Coen's taciturn drivers), Stark Sands (soldier who's an improbably good singer) and lots of great people in bit parts, like his agent's secretary (Sylvia Kaiders).
Some lovely dissolves in the editing too. Great songs.
Q: "Why would anyone build a corridor like that?"
Me: "Because it's a Coen brothers film."
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