WOAH!! Ya gotta go see it. Has anyone already seen it?
I'm talking about the movie, Prairie Home Companion, which opened a couple of weekends ago and I've just got around to seeing. It's the best movie of the year so far - easily - and probably the best of this decade/millenium.
It is, of course, hilarious. You'd expect that. Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly play Dusty and Lefty to great effect. They do risque songs that drive the stage manager nuts. And, of course, Garrison Keillor is funny as always. Kevin Kline turns in a stellar performance as Noir, Guy Noir.
But there is also a Wendell Berryesque melancholy underlying it all that increases the depth of the film tenfold. And the dialogue! The words drip and ricochet about with vivid, aged color, thick and rich as ketchup pouring from the bottle. You MUST all go see it.
Has anyone else seen it yet? Am I off my nut or should it be showered with Oscars this year?
Of course, it was filmed in and around St. Paul, MN, and it had its grand opening there. I've heard nothing but excellent reviews for it, but I'll probably wait till we can get it on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteThe regular radio cast makes appearances too--Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Tom Keith, and the Guys All Star Shoe Band.
I've been to the live radio show before, and it was a blast.
Hey Deb, I've made it to one of his road trip shows and it was a hoot. This movie was even better, or at least, as good as the radio show. And that's saying a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm always looking for a good film to see. I love listening to Prarie Home Companion on NPR, but I didn't know they had made a movie. Thanks for the heads-up.
ReplyDeleteIt is next on our list!
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think. I'm second-guessing myself. Surely it can't be THAT good, can it? Maybe I've built it up too much and you'll be disappointed...!?
ReplyDeleteI hope not.
Oh, and welcome home, Lene. How was your trip?
ReplyDeleteI've been a long-time listener to the show and we saw it in person when they came to Kansas City. I really enjoyed the movie, and though the melancholy of it was perfectly balanced, it did leave me sad. (I understand Keillor is still trying to get a Lake Woebegone movie made. Perhaps if this one is a success, he'll find a producer for that one too.)
ReplyDeleteOnly one quibble: What was the point of the Lady in White going after Axeman? It didn't make any difference. It seemed vindictive and pointless. Or did I miss something?
That's a fair point. The whole lady-in-white angle was the one part of the movie that I question.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warm welcome back. I spent a week in the Northeast Kingdom and a few days in NY goofing around. It was great even though I came back to a much longer to-do list than I expected. That's what inspiration will do for the writing mind, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you all had a good time, as well. I have a friend who has been searching for Big Foot across the country and is making a documentary about the folks searching.
That sounds like fun and Northern Oregon seems like an ideal place to chase the Bigfoot chasers.
ReplyDeleteI love it--"bigfoot chasers."
ReplyDelete