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A Mighty WindA Film Review by Gregory ZiglarWhen we strip the rather quirky veneer from this Christopher Guest mockumentary, we have remaining a stellar example of one of Hollywood’s great genres: a musical/comedy. This is light as a feather, breezy and sweet, and is the best movie of 2003 so far. Previously, the director gave us Waiting for Guffman, a story about a small town theatre group putting on a show. Then he gave us Best in Show, a hilarious depiction of obsessed pet lovers entering their animals into a show. Now we have A Mighty Wind, the story of retired 60s folk singers putting on a show in modern day New York. This feels a little like a “Putting-On-A-Show” trilogy, much like Baz Luhrman’s “Red Curtain” trilogy of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet, and Moulin Rouge. Both of these directors are among the most creative in the business. The movie begins with the death of a famous folk music producer. His son decides that a tribute would be appropriate, and he begins to pull together 3 folk groups from the 1960s. His attempt to get these people together, and the show that results, is the storyline of the film. The most amazing thing about the movie is that at first, it appears Guest is poking fun at this type of music. The lyrics to the songs are silly, and the performances are light-hearted and satirical. However, a final curtain call by all singers involved is riveting and beautiful, and is obviously done with love by Christopher Guest. Guest’s regulars are here. There is Parker Posey, doing her very best chirpy cheerleader imitation, and as always she is great. Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara as singing partners Mitch and Mickey are more understated than usual. Eugene’s Mitch is a low-point for the film, as the character is an irritating ex-mental institution refugee. Levy does a great job, but the character is just hard to take for an entire film. This issue holds the film just this side of greatness. There are some wonderful visuals here. We get a montage of 60s album covers, and there is one in which we see Mitch and Mickey in a beautiful homage to the Meet the Beatles 1964 album cover, in glorious black and white and shadow. This is funny, funny stuff with a number of laugh out loud lines. There is a train joke that is inspired silliness, and I won’t ruin it for you here. If you liked the “date joke” in Miss Congeniality, you’re going to love a lot of this stuff. Toward the final moments of the film, a sublimely weird scene has Catherine O’Hara advertising medical supplies via her folk singing groove, and we realize that truly, a mighty wind is blowin’ us all forward, too fast, toward that great incontinent heaven in the sky. Oh, please…just kidding. You’re going to love this movie! |
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TM