Funny, touching, introspective, another success from the Coen brothers. I absolutely loved the soundtrack and the various folk performances making you feel like you're really sitting in the middle of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village.
Great performances from all leads both in terms of acting and vocals. You get so lost in Issac and Mulligan's characters that you won't even recognize that they've been in a movie together before.
I would guess that many people, like me, will take some degree of issue with the ending but that is consistent with other Coen movies so I should not be surprised. Still, I sure felt the need to talk about it to someone afterwards. Probably a good sign.
I want to watch the scene of that cat watching NYC subway stations go by over and over again. As much fun as certain scenes like that are, just be aware it's an emotionally-taxing film to watch. By the end, I had felt like I had made a winter roadtrip from NYC to Chicago and back, and that I had lost someone. The film does hit you and maybe that's why it's so excellent and a must-see.
4.5 stars (docked a half-point for the ending which I'm probably just too stupid to appreciate)