MovieChat Forums > Inside Llewyn Davis (2014) Discussion > My interpretation of the Final Scene

My interpretation of the Final Scene

posted 10 years ago by mustardtiger83
13 replies | jump to latest

Contrary to the analysis of reviewers and most people in this forum, I believe the ending is one of optimism, not despair. Bob Dylan entering the scene, and revolutionizing popular music in the process, provided a huge opportunity for those musicians lucky enough to already be a part of that scene.

Let’s keep in mind that –at least up to that point- Llewyn did not have the brilliance or charisma required to successfully run a solo act, much less a movement. Perhaps Bob would become the “partner” that Bud Grossman recommended for him, and this partnership would bring out the best in Llewyn. Remember that the real Bob Dylan was friends with Dave Van Ronk, and both collaborated quite heavily in the early days. Would Van Ronk (as talented as he was) have enjoyed the same success without Dylan? I do not think so.

Even if Llewyn does not become as successful as Dylan (which was never his intention, as that would have been “careerist”), he would still make a decent living off music. Consider that, back in the 60s & 70s, well-known artists could make really good money off records & royalties. Most importantly, Llewyn would be in control of his future, doing what he was destined to do, and not simply “existing”.

Reviewers tend to focus on how the final scene somehow brings Llewyn back to his starting point. I disagree and, further, I don’t think this event is relevant at all, considering that it did not affect his superb performance* that night, or his upcoming review in Time magazine. The man in the suit will be gone and never to be seen again in NYC. With that said, it’s very unlikely that this beating will set back Llewyn in any significant way.

* Regarding that performance, I really do think that it represents a turning point for Llewyn. That version of “Dink’s Song” (sung in a higher key and with significantly more intensity than the previous two versions of that song in the film) was beautifully delivered, and with far more passion than Bob Dylan’s version of “Farewell”. Would this be the moment where he starts “connecting with people” and turning his life around?

[–] HannahToucan248 10 years ago

I believe that the ending is supposed to kind of reveal that the Llewyn's hopeless situation is partially brought on by himself. Even after a great performance and some promise, he screws it up by ridiculing the woman onstage. And in the last shot, he just sits alone in the street, right back where he started.

[–] DaveBowman2001 10 years ago

Agree...well said. I felt optimism too..at least in a relative sense of breaking a cycle and perhaps realizing he's not the bad person and perhaps some of the people around him are....or aren't helping him as they should in a positive way....nobody's perfect. I think most of the characters showed some good and really bad parts of themselves. He almost went through the motions at times and was bored with others music, except perhaps when Bob showed up.

[–] agracier-574-436194 10 years ago

My take on the final was that Llewyn passes this new guy on stage - Bob Dylan - gives him a passing and fleeting look and then immediately dismisses Dylan from his mind, for him Dylan being just another guy trying out his luck.

I got the impression that the scene tried to imply that Llewyn was going to miss the boat of the folk revival.

[–] featheredsun 9 years ago

As hafeez mentions later, this does seem to be the premise. Llewyn, even though he's based on Van Ronk, takes a wrong turn and misses the bus altogether.

[–] Mart-13 9 years ago

I choose to like that interpretation the most. Since the film was inspired by Dave Van Ronk, who collaborated with Bob Dylan, then it's not implausible that Llewyn got up, cleaned himself up, and got back into the club.

The ending as it is, remains open-ended.

[–] hafeez112233-1 9 years ago

Since the film was inspired by Dave Van Ronk, who collaborated with Bob Dylan, then it's not implausible that Llewyn got up, cleaned himself up, and got back into the club

From Wikipedia:

Well before writing the script, the Coens began with a single premise: suppose Van Ronk got beat up outside of Gerde's Folk City in the Village.

The opening and closing scenes are almost exactly the same, including the dialogue in the alley, so at some point we have a flashback, either at the very end, or for the core of the film, with the end being a repetition of the beginning.

This is what makes most sense to me, given the above stated origin of the conception for the movie.

The main difference in the repetition is that we see a young Dylan performing. If Llewyn had not left and gotten beaten up, he most likely would have met Dylan and the course of his life might have gone more like that of Dave van Ronk.

Otherwise the premise of the Coens would seem to be meaningless.

Perhaps I am missing something? It has been quite a while since I have seen this, and my memory (in old age) might be a little shaky...

“Your head is on the block and you worry about your whiskers?”

[–] homergreg 9 years ago

I agree. His odyssey was complete the previous night, and his new journey began that day, one without "Ulysses". He was changed in that last set. "One more before I go". Yes he still had to pay the price for his sins the previous night, but it didn't phase him. I saw him as more content pulling himself up alongside the curb after being beaten and telling the man in the suit "au revoir" than he had been in the entire story.

[–] whumpy224 9 years ago

How badly was he beaten?

[–] homergreg 9 years ago

It's hard to tell, a couple of punches, and a couple of kicks. I don't think he was in a life threatening situation, but he was banged up. I would imagine the next day he would have quite the black eye and really sore ribs. Enough of a beating that the man in the suit left satisfied that he had vindicated his wife for being insulted on stage.

[–] whumpy224 9 years ago

Thanks for the info!

[–] melinda2001 9 years ago

Or maybe like Goodman's character said it might have hurt him in invisible ways that would make him forever question his own worth.

[–] thebigmouth 9 years ago

Count me among the pessimists. I saw it as, "the times they are changing but Llewyn can't."

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[–] cgrady-2 8 years ago

I suppose it depends on where you happen to be looking. For the music scene, we can sense the freshness of Dylan but for Llewyn the future seems dark. The ending suggests a hellish circle to me: Llewyn won't change and the last line suggests he's accepting that fate, even while a revolution starts behind him. I love the Coen brothers and regard them as rare artists, but the criticism that they look down on their characters (even if tempered and complicated by a degree of empathy) ... I can feel that here. Llewyn almost seems to wallow in it sometimes. He's not Barton Fink, though.