Get Low (B or 3/4 stars)
'Get Low' (helmed by cinematographer-turned-director, Aaron Schneider) starts off mysteriously enough - a man on fire jumps through a 2nd story window onto the roof of a garage, only to pick himself up & dive off the building, escaping a blazing inferno, & running off into the dark woods. He is not injured, but if there is damage anywhere, it is in his soul. This brief, but enticing epilogue/scene sets up the rest of the movie; right before we're introduced to the main players, & the real-life legend that this folk tale is derived from. The "true tall tale" goes as follows: It is 1938, and a grizzly, 78 yr. old man who came from wealth, Felix Bush (Robert Duvall), lives as a hermit in Tennessee's backwoods. He's kept himself shrouded in mystery for 40 years; barely leaving his reclusive self-made house.
An early example of his demeanor - waving a shotgun at anyone who dares cross his No Damn Trespassin' sign. See, Felix is hiding a violent past. He's not liked by any townsfolk. And his only friend(s) are the dead dogs in his self-made cemetery ... & his mule. For reasons unknown to us (early on), Felix decides to throw himself a 'funeral' party while he's still alive. After traipsin' into town, he walks into the local funeral parlor - helmed by Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), & his partner, Buddy (Lucas Black) - and asks them to invite everyone in the surrounding 6 counties to said funeral party. To make them show up, he allows for his lucrative land to be given away by lottery. Felix wants to hear their stories about him (however awful, true, or false they may be).
It is important for widow Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek) - a former lover of his - to show up; as she is pertinent to the reason of throwing this funeral party, & is a key to the mystery of why he's so hated. Equally pertinent to the proceedings is the presence of Rev. Charlie Jackson (Bill Cobbs): the only man who knows Felix's secret; a secret that relates to the raging fire we see in the prologue. Really, though, Felix wants the chance to tell his own story (to all of them at one place). He doesn't want to be seen as a monster, anymore. And when everyone has gathered, Felix (through Duvall's keen acting skills) divulges a scary, sad, & touching confessional soliloquy about the secret - with hope that through forgiveness, perhaps he can attain redemption before he truly dies.
I can't remember the last time I found Robert Duvall so effective (he's phoned-in a lot of performances in his twilight years). I really enjoyed his gruff, eccentric Felix. Duvall gives him a rough exterior, but digs deep to reveal a wealth of sadness beneath. Bill Murray impressed me as the droll, weasely funeral director, Frank Quinn; quipping, "people (in Chicago) really know how to die there". It's the classic deadpan character portrayal that Murray is capable of, & may be remembered come Oscar time. Lucas Black is stellar in the underwritten role of Buddy. Sissy Spacek brings magic to her minor role, as well; making you believe every gesture she makes, & every word she utters. The easy chemistry she has with Duvall is a highlight. And my favorite performance came from Bill Cobbs as the world-weary reverend who knows too much of Felix's past. It's just an incredibly lived-in performance that made me sit up in my chair whenever the man said something.
Plainly put, this is a nice little movie; a slice of homegrown southern melodrama from the 1930's. There is nothing to dislike or rail against. No big faults. This film should appeal to audiences who appreciate larger-than-life characters, dry wit, & catharsis. The direction is astute. The writing has some panache. The humor made me chuckle. The sad drama gave me pause to think. Themes of wisdom, mystery, regret, & love are apparent. The performances: well, they're all great. The gold & amber hued cinematography is pleasant to watch. The set & costume details feel very authentic. And though the story is both familiar & sentimental (at times), it is thoroughly & ably told. My only hesitation is that 'Get Low' just isn't anything to go wild about. I sat, I watched, I enjoyed, I left.
An early example of his demeanor - waving a shotgun at anyone who dares cross his No Damn Trespassin' sign. See, Felix is hiding a violent past. He's not liked by any townsfolk. And his only friend(s) are the dead dogs in his self-made cemetery ... & his mule. For reasons unknown to us (early on), Felix decides to throw himself a 'funeral' party while he's still alive. After traipsin' into town, he walks into the local funeral parlor - helmed by Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), & his partner, Buddy (Lucas Black) - and asks them to invite everyone in the surrounding 6 counties to said funeral party. To make them show up, he allows for his lucrative land to be given away by lottery. Felix wants to hear their stories about him (however awful, true, or false they may be).
It is important for widow Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek) - a former lover of his - to show up; as she is pertinent to the reason of throwing this funeral party, & is a key to the mystery of why he's so hated. Equally pertinent to the proceedings is the presence of Rev. Charlie Jackson (Bill Cobbs): the only man who knows Felix's secret; a secret that relates to the raging fire we see in the prologue. Really, though, Felix wants the chance to tell his own story (to all of them at one place). He doesn't want to be seen as a monster, anymore. And when everyone has gathered, Felix (through Duvall's keen acting skills) divulges a scary, sad, & touching confessional soliloquy about the secret - with hope that through forgiveness, perhaps he can attain redemption before he truly dies.
I can't remember the last time I found Robert Duvall so effective (he's phoned-in a lot of performances in his twilight years). I really enjoyed his gruff, eccentric Felix. Duvall gives him a rough exterior, but digs deep to reveal a wealth of sadness beneath. Bill Murray impressed me as the droll, weasely funeral director, Frank Quinn; quipping, "people (in Chicago) really know how to die there". It's the classic deadpan character portrayal that Murray is capable of, & may be remembered come Oscar time. Lucas Black is stellar in the underwritten role of Buddy. Sissy Spacek brings magic to her minor role, as well; making you believe every gesture she makes, & every word she utters. The easy chemistry she has with Duvall is a highlight. And my favorite performance came from Bill Cobbs as the world-weary reverend who knows too much of Felix's past. It's just an incredibly lived-in performance that made me sit up in my chair whenever the man said something.
Plainly put, this is a nice little movie; a slice of homegrown southern melodrama from the 1930's. There is nothing to dislike or rail against. No big faults. This film should appeal to audiences who appreciate larger-than-life characters, dry wit, & catharsis. The direction is astute. The writing has some panache. The humor made me chuckle. The sad drama gave me pause to think. Themes of wisdom, mystery, regret, & love are apparent. The performances: well, they're all great. The gold & amber hued cinematography is pleasant to watch. The set & costume details feel very authentic. And though the story is both familiar & sentimental (at times), it is thoroughly & ably told. My only hesitation is that 'Get Low' just isn't anything to go wild about. I sat, I watched, I enjoyed, I left.