Her Smell

 

Written and directed by Alex Ross Perry, Her Smell is the story of a punk rock singer’s life of excess starts to take its toll upon being a mother as she deals with her band falling apart, dealing with old peers, and a new act on the rise. The film is an exploration of a woman dealing with changes as well as the fact that she is self-destructive as she hurts those including herself to the path of success. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Ashley Benson, Gayle Rankin, Eric Stoltz, Amber Heard, Dylan Gelula, Agyness Deyn, Dan Stevens, and Virginia Madsen. Her Smell is a riveting and evocative film from Alex Ross Perry.

Stories about rock stardom and such often follow a formula in how they’re formed, how they become successful, more success, sex, drugs, alcohol, fights, they break-up, some tried to do solo careers, and then reunite. It’s a story that’s been told a million times yet what Alex Ross Perry does in this film is really the study of a singer whose love of rock n’ roll and excess would eventually takes its toll on herself, her family life, and her band. Notably as it’s told in five different scenes detailing the fall and resurrection of Becky Something (Elisabeth Moss) who is the singer/guitarist for the punk rock band Something She as there’s brief segments in between detailing the band’s rise. Perry’s script is more about Becky and her attempt to try and be this rock star as well as a mother despite the fact that she’s divorced and at odds with her ex-husband and her own mother. The five segments all play into Becky and her band in their good times but mostly bad times with the second and third segments showcasing Becky’s self-destructive behavior and how she destroys her relationships with those who care about her. The fourth and fifth takes places years after the events of the first three segments as it relates to what she lost but also her own fears.

Perry’s direction does have some style in its approach to long static shots as well as tracking shots in some parts of the film yet much of it is straightforward. Shot on various locations in New York City as well as the upstate area for one segment, the film play into these moments in time as the first segment is about a performance from Something She and its aftermath and the second segment is about a failed recording session that lead to the band’s break-up while a new band in Akergirls watch in horror. The usage of close-ups and medium shots don’t just add to the intimacy of some of the tension but also in how much Becky is willing to destroy herself and everyone else in her path just as some are trying to help her. Even as it would capture the chaos during a scene in the third act where Becky and Something She drummer Ali van der Wolff (Gayle Rankin) have an intense physical fight backstage.

There are a few wide shots in the film yet Perry chooses to focus on these moments that play into Becky’s wild behavior and her need to have answers whether it’s spiritual or as a way to maintain this persona as a wild punk rock star. There is a lot of attention to detail in what is going on with and around Becky as the dramatic tension that occurs such as a failed recording session that lead to the band’s break-up shows more attention towards Ali and bassist Marielle Hell (Agyness Deyn) who are struggling to keep it together but are aware that the band is done. By the time the film moves towards the fourth and fifth segments, things do quiet down as it play into Becky coming to terms with what she’s lost but also what she still has. Even towards the end as she tries to figure out if she has to play this wild persona or just be a mother to her daughter. Overall, Perry crafts an exhilarating yet intense film about a punk rock singer’s struggle to be all sorts of things including being a mother.

Cinematographer Sean William Price does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of low-key interior lighting for some the backstage scenes and in some of the stage lighting as well as natural interior/exterior lighting for the segment at Becky’s home with some blurry flashes for some of the concert performances. Editor Robert Greene does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward in letting shots linger for a while as well as providing a few rhythmic cuts for dramatic effect. Production designer Fletcher Chancey, with set decorator Paige Mitchell and art director John Arnos, does fantastic work with the look of some of the backstage area in some of the shows as well as the look of the studio and Becky’s home. Costume designer Amanda Ford does nice work with the costumes from some of the stylish clothes that the bands wear as well as the ragged look in their clothing.

Hair/makeup designer Amy L. Forsythe does terrific work with the look of the Akergirls in their colorful hairstyle as well as how they would evolve in the coming years in contrast to the chaotic look of Becky. Sound editor Ryan M. Price does amazing work with the film’s sound in the way music is presented live as well as the way music is recorded in a studio and other aspects of the sound as it plays into the chaos of Becky’s life. The film’s music by Keegan DeWitt and Alicia Bognanno is incredible with DeWitt providing a low-key ambient score for some of the dramatic moments of the film while Bognanno writes some of the original songs for Something She and Akergirls while music supervisor Rob Lowry provide a couple of songs that Becky sings including a song by Bryan Adams and one from Charles Manson.

The film’s superb cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Daisy Pugh-Weiss as Becky’s daughter Tama, Hannah Gross as Tama’s stepmother Tiffany, Craig Butta as a studio recording engineer, Alexis Krauss as musician at the film’s final segment, Keith Poulson as Ali’s husband, Lindsay Burdge as Marielle’s partner, Eka Darville as a shaman who doesn’t seem to have Becky’s best interests, and Amber Heard in a small role as Becky’s former mentor Zelda E. Zekiel as a woman who is trying to help Becky to get her into the right path of life. The performances of Ashley Benson, Cara Delevingne, and Dylan Gelula in their respective roles as Roxie Rotten, Crassie Cassie, and Dottie O.Z. of the band Akergirls are fantastic as a new band who admire Becky as they see her as an influence only to realize how troubled she is to herself and to their own career. Eric Stoltz is excellent as the music manager Howard Goodman who manages both Something She and Akergirls as someone trying to maintain some control while starting to lose patience with Becky as he has a lot to lose with her drug abuse. Virginia Madsen is brilliant as Becky’s mother Ania as a woman who had seen Becky at her best and at her worst as she’s trying to help her but also knows when something horrible is to come.

Gayle Rankin and Agyness Deyn are amazing in their respective roles as Something She drummer Ali van der Wolff and bassist Marielle Hell as two women who are trying to keep the band together with the former as a drummer who is also wild but also in control until a major fight backstage while the latter is someone who is trying keep everything in control until she has had enough. Dan Stevens is incredible as Becky’s ex-husband Danny as a man who cares about Becky and their daughter yet is trying to get her help but also be there as a mother to their daughter. Finally, there’s Elisabeth Moss in a spectacular performance as Becky Something as the singer/guitarist for the band Something She as a woman just trying to be this wild persona and a mother to a young girl but is troubled by her drug abuse and need to control everything as it is Moss at her most energetic and most vulnerable as it is definitely the performance of her career.

Her Smell is a tremendous film from Alex Ross Perry that features a phenomenal leading performance from Elisabeth Moss. Along with its ensemble cast, fascinating character study, simplistic yet chilling presentation, and an energetic music soundtrack. It’s a film that explores a woman trying to balance responsibility and stardom but also destroy those including herself on her path as well as cope with everything she’s gained and lost. In the end, Her Smell is a sensational film from Alex Ross Perry.

Alex Ross Perry Films: (Impolex) – (The Color Wheel) – (Listen Up Philip) – (Queen of Earth) – (Golden Exits)

© thevoid99 2020

Joy (2015 film)

Written and directed by David O. Russell from a story by Russell and Annie Mumolo, Joy is a loosely-based bio-pic about the life of Joy Mangano as a woman who would become a self-made millionaire and run her own empire despite the dysfunctional presence of her family. The film is a look into a woman who comes from a troubled family forcing her to do things by herself as she would gain fame through a series of inventions as Mangano is played by Jennifer Lawrence. Also starring Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, Bradley Cooper, Elisabeth Rohm, and Robert de Niro. Joy is a compelling though messy film from David O. Russell.

Set in 1990 upstate New York, the film revolves around a mother of two children who shares her house with her grandmother and mother while working for Eastern Airlines as a booking clerk with her ex-husband living in the basement. Yet, Joy Mangano’s life is about lost potential who had dreams to create things when she was a kid but the dysfunctional life of her family which included her father Rudy (Robert de Niro) moving in to her home after a break-up where he would share the basement with Joy’s ex-husband Tony (Edgar Ramirez). When Rudy gets a new girlfriend in the rich Italian widow Trudy (Isabella Rossellini) and she invites Joy and Joy’s older half-sister Peggy (Elisabeth Rohm) to the boat. Joy gets an idea while cleaning spilled wine on the boat as it would be the start of an empire as well as tapping into the lost hopes and dreams she had when she was a child.

David O. Russell’s screenplay is partially told through the perspective of Joy’s grandmother Mimi (Diane Ladd) as someone who had seen Joy’s potential when she was a child and then be destroyed when her family was torn apart by divorce with Rudy going to someone else while Joy’s mother Terri (Virginia Madsen) spends much of her life in her room watching soap operas to escape from the harshness of reality. The script is often messy and can be over-the-top in its usage of flashbacks in the first act where Joy looks back at her marriage to Tony including their wedding reception in which her father embarrasses her. Joy is definitely at the center of the film as someone that is dealing with the fact that her life hasn’t gone well as she often has to deal with Peggy’s comments while Rudy often makes cynical comments though he means well. Tony is at least supportive as he would become one of the few that really believes that Joy can succeed through the invention of the Miracle Mop. Yet, would face challenges including from those who claimed to have a patent over the creation of the mop while Joy would find an outlet to sell her mop through the emergence of QVC.

Russell’s direction does have elements of style as it play into the setting and time period of the 1980s and early 1990s while much of his compositions are straightforward. Shot on location in and around Boston, Massachusetts with additional locations at Wilmington, Massachusetts, Russell would create a film that is set largely in the winter to play into the look of upstate New York where the characters live in which include the garage that Rudy owns which is managed by Peggy. There are some wide shots of the locations including scenes at the QVC studio that include this telethon studio that turns around for a different set. Yet, Russell would maintain an intimacy as it relates to the family drama where it can be overwhelming at times due to the number of people arguing over Joy in the usage of close-ups and medium shots. The film’s second act would loosen up as it relates to Tony taking Joy to a studio where she would be introduced to QVC and an executive in Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper).

The fact that the script is told partially from Mimi’s perspective does make the film tonally uneven as it would also affect the film’s pacing leading to its third act where it is about some of the business problems caused by Joy’s family over these people involved in parts manufacturing. Especially as Joy knew she had to pay certain amount of royalties to a man who created a patent for this mop as she would be forced to take control of her empire by herself with only a few such as Tony to be the ones to really support her. Her action to confront these men who are trying to ruin her would show what she has to do as it relates to the questions that Trudy has asked about what is a person willing to do to succeed. Overall, Russell crafts a fascinating though flawed film about a woman who finds her lost potential in creating things and later build an empire.

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does excellent work with the cinematography with the look of the daytime exteriors with the usage of natural lights while going for something low-key and low for the interior scenes at night. Editors Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy, Tom Cross, and Christopher Tellefsen do nice work with the editing as it is stylized in some parts while it is mainly straightforward to play into the drama. Production designer Judy Becker, with set decorators Gary Alioto and Heather Loeffler plus art director Peter Rogness, does brilliant work with the look of the sets at the QVC building as well as the home where Joy and her family live in plus the garage her father owns. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into something that looks casual in some parts but mainly play into the look of the late 80s/early 90s.

Visual effects supervisors Trent Claus and Gregory D. Liegey do terrific work with the visual effects as it is mainly set dressing for the look of the different places that Joy and other characters go to. Sound designers Jason King and Jay Nierenberg, with sound editor John Ross, do superb work with the sound as it play into the chaos inside Joy’s home as well as the scenes at various gatherings and at the QVC studio. The film’s music by West Dylan Thordson and David Campbell is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral music with bits of rock in parts of the film while music supervisor Susan Jacobs provides a soundtrack that mixes Latin music, pop, rock, and jazz to play into the different worlds that Joy encounters.

The casting by Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Donna Mills and Susan Lucci as soap opera actresses, Drena de Niro as a QVC saleswoman in Cindy, Jimmy Jean-Louis as a Haitian repairman in Toussaint whom Terri falls for, Madison Wolfe as the young Peggy, Emily Nunez as the young Jackie, Isabella Crovetti-Cramp as the young Joy, Aundera and Gia Gadsy as Joy/Tony’s daughter Cristy, Tomas and Zeke Elizondo as Joy/Tony’s son Tommy, and Melissa River in a wonderful performance as her late real-life mother Joan Rivers who sells things for QVC as it’s so dead-on. Dascha Polanco is superb as Joy’s best friend Jackie who helps her out with some of the business aspects in selling the mop as well as one of the few who really believes in her product. Virginia Madsen is fantastic as Joy’s mother Terri as a woman who had lost a lot of hope in reality by spending much of her time watching soap operas until she would fall for a repairman and bring some encouragement to Joy.

Isabella Rossellini is excellent as Trudy as an Italian widow who becomes Rudy’s new girlfriend as a woman who isn’t sure about Joy’s new idea as she reluctantly gives her the money only to find a way to get it back. Elisabeth Rohm is brilliant as Joy’s overachieving half-sister Peggy as someone who constantly belittles Joy to prove that she is superior and would end up causing financial trouble for Joy against Joy’s will. Diane Ladd is amazing as Joy’s grandmother Mimi as a woman who is Joy’s greatest supporter as someone who is also a dreamer and had seen a lot of the struggles the family has endured. Edgar Ramirez is incredible as Joy’s ex-husband Tony as a failed musician that doesn’t like Joy’s father very much as he would be the one to get Joy to meet with QVC and be one of her true supporters in her ideas. Bradley Cooper is terrific in a small role as Neil Walker as a QVC executive who sees what Joy has created and decides to help her sell the Miracle Mop in the hope that it would make money.

Robert de Niro is remarkable as Joy’s father Rudy as a man who means well but often embarrasses Joy while often favoring his daughter as it’s a flawed but fun performance from de Niro. Finally, there’s Jennifer Lawrence in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a mother of two children with an ex-husband that is dealing with her life believing she’s failed until she came up with another idea as it is one of Lawrence’s finest performances.

Joy is a stellar though flawed film from David O. Russell that features an incredible leading performance from Jennifer Lawrence. Along with its supporting cast, cool score, and an engaging story that is very messy in its structure and tone. It’s a film that has a fascinating look into the life of Joy Mangano though it tends to overwhelm itself with all of the family drama and wanting to be this study into the cutthroat world of business. In the end, Joy is a very good film from David O. Russell.

David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey – Flirting with Disaster – Three Kings - I Heart Huckabees – The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell

© thevoid99 2017

Sideways

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/7/04 w/ Additional Edits & Extensive Revisions.

Since his 1996 feature film debut for the abortion comedy Citizen Ruth, Nebraska filmmaker Alexander Payne brought a mix of Americana and irreverent offbeat humor to many of films often based on books that he and longtime co-writer Jim Taylor adapted into scripts. In 1999, Payne released a hilarious satire film entitled Election about a high school election gone insane that became a breakthrough for Payne as it won him loads of acclaim including the prestigious New Generation Award from the L.A. Film Critics Association. In 2002, Payne and Taylor released About Schmidt, based on the novel by Louis Bagley. A more harrowing film than his previous efforts, About Schmidt still contained its irreverent but restrained humor largely due to lead actor Jack Nicholson's surprisingly quiet, restrained performance as an old man dealing with age and his existence. The film was also a hit as Payne in 2004 re-emerged with Taylor once again for another adaptation, this time for the Rex Pickett novel entitled Sideways.

Sideways is a movie about a failed novelist named Miles and his out-of-work actor buddy Jack going on a one-week trip to North California to sow their wild oats while trying out new wines in various winery places. With Jack getting married in a week, Miles tries to give him a last week of freedom only to learn more of his own failures while the men deal with everything about themselves. Then after meeting a couple of women in a town in North California, Miles deals with his own failures while trying to find some sense of hope and good wine. Starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Payne's real-life wife Sandra Oh. Sideways is one of the most original and heartfelt comedies of 2004.

Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) is an 8th grade English teacher trying to catch a break as a novelist as he drives from San Diego to L.A. to pick up his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) for a week trip before Jack's wedding to Christine (Alysia Reiner). After meeting Christine's family, the two head to Northern California for a wine exhibit as they stop to spend the night at the home of Mile's mother (Marylouise Burke). Mile however, remains haunted by the fact that he's a failure and already failed in his marriage to Victoria (Jessica Hecht). Upon arriving to the California vineyard, they stop to examine wine as Miles expertly tries different wines as stop at a town near Los Olivos to stay.

After a meeting a waitress named Maya (Virginia Madsen), who knows Miles over his wine expertise, at a restaurant. Jack claims they're celebrating over the publication of Miles' upcoming novel which isn't true as they continue to go wine-tasting where they meet another expert in the free-spirited Stephanie (Sandra Oh), who is also a friend of Maya's. Jack becomes smitten with Stephanie as Miles and Jack go to dinner with Maya and Stephanie to discuss wine as Miles still mopes over his ex-wife. Later that night at Stephanie's house for more wine-tasting, Miles and Maya talk about the brilliance of wine as well as the fact that they're both dealing with failed marriages. With Jack spending more time with Stephanie, Miles tries to deal with his own issues as the two go golfing one day where Jack tries to get Miles out of his slump.

During a lunch with Maya and Stephanie where they meet Stephanie's daughter Siena (Natalie Carter), Miles finds himself smitten with Maya where things seem to go well until he accidentally reveals about Jack's upcoming wedding. Things get worse when Miles learns about his novel as he vents out where the day worsens over what he revealed to Maya about Jack. Jack's womanizing ways starts to get him in trouble after flirting with a waitress (Missy Doty) where he asks for Miles help to deal with her husband (M.C. Gainey) as Miles wonders if there's any kind of hope for him.

Where in previous films, Alexander Payne took the time to establish himself as a director with irreverent satires of Citizen Ruth and Election while blending comedy and drama for About Schmidt. In Sideways, Payne not only fulfills his potential but also now becomes the most leading American auteur filmmaker for his heartfelt view of humanity while finding its inane humor in the smallest of things. Payne brings a creatively intelligent film with stylized split-screens and wonderful images where he moves the camera into giving a wonderful yet complex view of America. With his longtime co-writer Jim Taylor, the film's script is filled with hilarious moments and lines along with great emphasis on wine tasting and the kind of wine that is good. This film will make thirsty for some wine but it's really an adult film with a nice balance of romance, drama, and restrained comedy where Payne and Taylor bring out their best work to date where they click with every funny and sad moment in the right places.

Helping Payne with his vision is cinematographer Phedon Papamichael who beautifully captures the wonderful world of California wine fields and the Californian towns, which has a sense of purity and color that is truly imaginative. With Payne's longtime editor Kevin Tent bringing in a nice, masterful editing style in tune with the multiple-screen shots in the film, the film moves nicely as it doesn't move too slow or too fast for Payne's subtle, sublime story. Helping out more in the visuals is Payne's longtime art team of production designer Jane Ann Stewart and art director T.K. Kirkpatrick for giving a nice detailed view of the Californian wine world with its tan-like colors and wooden images where the movie gives you that great feeling that you're in a winery while longtime costume designer helps give personality to the clothing for its characters.

Then there's the film's music from longtime Payne collaborator Rolfe Kent who brings a lovely jazz score filled with bouncy rhythms and touches of melancholia that serves as an accompaniment to the varied mood of Miles along with music from Bonnie Raitt and Luna.

Then there's the film memorable if small cast, which includes some nice performances from Marylouise Burke as Mile's mother, Jessica Hecht as Victoria, Alysia Reiner as Christine, and Missy Doty as Cammi. Still, the film revolves solely on its four main actors. Sandra Oh is vibrantly amazing as the free-spirited Stephanie with her whimsical expertise on wine and down-home sense of humor while being vivacious in her sexiness as she carries some great scenes with Thomas Haden Church while stealing the show in the scene where she breaks his nose. Virginia Madsen truly gives the greatest performance of her career as the soulful Maya with her love for wine and life. Madsen not only brings great chemistry with Paul Giamatti but a wonderful depth in their conversation scenes as Madsen glows in her understatedly, rich performance as she and Oh are both worthy for Supporting Actress nods in the Oscars.

Thomas Haden Church is hilarious and amazing as the chauvinist Jack with his selfish, egomaniacal ways and immature behaviors. Church is really the comedy of the movie by doing stupid things where he and Giamatti have great scenes despite their different personalities where Church also has depth where he's trying to protect Christine from his affairs with Stephanie. Church is just filled with depth in his comedy, as he also deserves some recognition for his performance. Paul Giamatti is the film's best performance for his complex mix of emotionally depressed and self-defeating in the role of Miles. Giamatti shows that his performance in 2003's American Splendor was no fluke where he uses his shadowy eyes and face to bring out every sense of sadness into his role. While he maybe the role of a loser (though Church is playing the bigger loser), Giamatti brings sympathy to his role despite his selfishness and self-loathing where he also carries a sense of charm and heart as this role is truly one of his best of his flourishing career.

Sideways is a tremendous film from Alexander Payne and company with great performances from Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh. Thanks to Payne's subtle, restrained humor and warm drama filled with romance and life lessons, the film is one of the brightest pieces of American cinema as Payne now becomes a director with a vast imagination. While not as funny in some parts in comparison to previous films, Sideways works more in its mix while giving away some great emphasis on wine tasting. If there's a nice movie that you can laugh and be moved at while getting a fine taste of wine, Sideways is the movie to go see.

Alexander Payne Films: Citizen Ruth - Election - About Schmidt - Paris Je T'aime-14th Arrondissment - The Descendants - Nebraska - (Downsizing) - The Holdovers - (Tracy Flick Can't Win) - The Auteurs #5: Alexander Payne

(C) thevoid99 2011

A Prairie Home Companion

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/19/06 w/ Additional Edits.

Throughout his entire career, Robert Altman has made films that always explored different worlds and genres. Films like M.A.S.H., McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Player, Short Cuts, and Gosford Park along with favorites like Images, The Long Goodbye, California Split, 3 Women, Brewster McCloud, Cookie's Fortune, Vincent & Theo, and The Company. All of these films revealed Altman's talent for telling little stories with many people as they all come together to explore something. Ever since starting in the 1960s, Altman has become a major influence in American cinema as he has inspired many directors to handle huge, ensemble stories. In 2006, in his 80s, Altman received a Lifetime Honorary Academy Award for all of his work. That same year, he released what would be his final film in A Prairie Home Companion.

Based on the same radio program created by playwright Garrison Keiller, the film version of A Prairie Home Companion tells the story of the radio program broadcasting its final show in its native Minnesota. Directed and produced by Altman with Keiller writing the script, the film reveals the end of an era as Altman explores the world of radio and performance. With an all-star cast that includes Altman regular Lily Tomlin plus Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Tommy Lee Jones, Virginia Madsen, Maya Rudolph, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Lindsay Lohan, and Keiller as himself. A Prairie Home Companion is a true testament to the talents of Robert Altman.

After the owners of the Soderbergh family deciding to sell the famed Fitzgerald Theater, which broadcasts the radio program called A Prairie Home Companion, it's a hard day for everyone. For an ex-detective turned security supervisor named Guy Noir (Kevin Kline), he's spooked by the haunting presence of death as the radio program is to play its final show. For leader Garrison Keiller, he decides to give the show a good send off as the stage manager Al (Tim Russell) and makeup lady Donna (Sue Scott) are saddened that they'll never see all of the musicians and people who will be there. To join the final broadcast is a country legend named Chuck Akers (L.Q. Jones), the Johnson Sisters, and the country team of Dusty (Woody Harrelson) and Lefty (John C. Reilly). Joining her mother Yolanda (Meryl Streep) is a young poet named Lola (Lindsay Lohan) who helps her mother and aunt Rhonda (Lily Tomlin) while writing poems about suicide.

The show is played featuring many of the regulars of the radio program including a voiceman (Tom Keith), the duo of Robin & Linda Williams, Jearlyn Steele, and Keiller who sings and opens the program while doing little commercials in between. While he performs and does his program, Yolanda and Rhonda reminisce about the days when they did the radio program with the rest of their late sisters which they still grieve about. Dusty and Lefty rehearse their own comedy routines for the program while Guy Noir is intrigued by a mysterious woman (Virginia Madsen) who turns out to be an angel watching the show in its final broadcast. The Johnson Sisters perform as do the duo of Dusty and Lefty while something happens to one of their performers as seen by the makeup lady and the lunchlady (Marylouise Burke).

The specter of death is nearing on its program as Guy asks the pregnant stagehand Molly (Maya Rudolph) to be on the lookout as things only overwhelm all of the performers. Garrison doesn't know what to do while dealing with his own issues with Yolanda over a brief fling they had many years ago as he talks with Lola about her late father and the angel about a joke. Things get worse when the new owner (Tommy Lee Jones) arrive to get ready to destroy the Fitzgerald Theater for a parking lot as he watches the final performance. Guy wants Molly to call in the angel as he tries to understand the owner's intentions for his new parking lot. With the show closing down, Al wants Dusty and Lefty to clean their act for the show which ends up becoming a disaster. Lola decides to help out by performing where the show leads to a final send-off while Garrison doesn't want to admit its over as the end come nears for A Prairie Home Companion.

Stories about the end of an era or an end of something is often told in a very sad way but for Robert Altman, who too might be on his way out. The end is not really the end at all. Even for a 30-year old radio program that people love to listen and laugh with is filled with a lot of spirit and joy. With a script Keiller wrote based on a screen story he did with Ken LaZebnik, Altman manages to capture the spirit of the radio program by doing the film exactly on the Fitzgerald Theater right smack down in the middle of St. Paul, Minnesota. Even the script that Keiller wrote shows the atmosphere of theater and music as things don't go the way they plan while everything is a disaster and people become unsure of what to do. Still, it's the right script that brings the antidote to the style of Robert Altman.

Altman uses his mastery of multiple storylines and overlapping dialogue to convey this story of a final performance by letting many characters know what they're feeling and their own anxieties. Even the specter of death is felt throughout the entire film as an angel is coming by while the new owner comes in to represent the changing times. Though Altman isn't making some kind of political statement into the world of corporations, he's really talking more about what a radio program means to the people who listens to them or be part of the program. Altman is able to make the audience aware of what's going on while keeping up with the storylines as he goes for long shots in certain sequences while cutting to another part of the story in the film. He also captures the tension, sadness, and joy that is part of the radio program as Robert Altman, with a little help from stand-in director Paul Thomas Anderson, shows his mastery in the art of creating a world right in front of his eyes.

Helping Altman with his unique, intimate vision is cinematographer Edward Lachman whose lighting technique harkens the days of old cinema of the 1950s and 60s in the film's exterior sequences and scenes in the diner across from the theater. The film's interiors filled with blue coloring and huge, white background lights for some of the staging reveals the grand presentation of the radio station along with some wonderful, yellowish lighting for some of the film's interior scenes. Lachman's dreamy, intimate presentation is a real highlight for the film. Production designer Dina Goldman and set decorator Tora Peterson also captures the atmosphere of the stage by re-creating little background sets and placing props to give the sense of intimacy of the story. The look of the film in its production and photography shows the true authenticity of the stage. Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas also does wonderful work for the film's costumes whether it's the more extravagant clothing of the Johnson sisters, the cowboy suits of the Dusty & Lefty, to the noir clothing that the Dangerous Woman and Guy Noir wears.

Editor Jacob Craycroft does great work in giving Altman's unique presentation a nicely paced, leisurely style while giving perspective on the multiple stories while cutting when a story is done to a performance on stage. Craycroft's editing is truly masterful for its presentation on all the stories and tension as it rings true to Altman's work. Sound mixer Drew Kunin and sound editor Eliza Paley also does great work on the sound where the whole films sounds like it's done exactly in a theater. The sound of the film help captures the atmosphere as well as the music that is playing in the background on some scenes while the music comes out fully.

Finally, there's the music of the film which is the heart of the movie and the radio program. With a group of musicians who all played on the radio program including Robin and Linda Williams, Jearlyn Steele, and Keiller himself, all the actors do perform and sing the songs that in that film. In many ways, the music is true to the program's spirit as it leans more towards traditional country music, jingles, and traditional pop. Many of the film’s song performances are wonderful while several of them indeed standout with some altered lyrics done by Keiller. Songs like Lindsay Lohan's Frankie & Johnny, the Bad Jokes song by Dusty & Lefty, and a wonderful country ballad by the Johnson Sisters are amazing to hear. Even the final song in the film, Red River Valley brings a wealth of emotions whether its sadness and joy, it captures the spirit of the radio program as it becomes one of the best film soundtracks of the year.

The film's cast which includes such regulars of the radio program like Robin & Linda Williams, Jearlyn Steele, Tom Keith, bandleader Richard A. Dworsky, and Prudence Johnson are all wonderful, notably Tom Keith whose sound effects are hilarious. Smaller performances like Marylouise Burke as the Lunch Lady, Sue Scott as makeup lady Donna, Tim Russell as Al, and L.Q. Jones as Chuck are all notable in their roles as they bring the sadness of the fading radio show while L.Q. Jones gives a great performance of a country song on the stage. Lindsay Lohan gives a wonderful performance as a jaded youth who learns about what joy the radio program brings a she manages to give a great rendition of Frankie & Johnny as Lohan proves to be a very good actress despite her other film choices. Maya Rudolph is very funny as the pregnant Molly who is trying to keep things organized while dealing with Guy Noir's paranoid suspicion.

Tommy Lee Jones is also excellent as the cynical Axeman who feels that times are changing and acts very still while watching its final broadcast while not being aware of what the radio program means to people. Jones does a very good job in representing someone who thinks he can take away things only to realize that its spirit will never be gone. Kevin Kline gives one of his funniest performances as Guy Noir which shows Kline's mastery in physical and reactionary comedy. Kline manages to bring a nice, noir-like approach to dialogue in some scenes while his comedic scenes are pure gold which owes more to the style of Charlie Chaplin. Virginia Madsen is also amazing as the angelic Dangerous Woman who brings a chilling presence as she reminisces her joy of the program and what led to her own death as Madsen brings an old-school, entrancing quality reminiscent of 1940s acting. Garrison Keiller is also great for playing himself as he often reveals his own brand of comedy while bringing charm to his real self that is often enjoyable about Keiller.

Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly are truly the funniest duo of film as Dusty & Lefty with their not-so-intelligent personalities and off-putting comments. Their performances truly brings the right kind of humor that aren't for everyone, notably the Bad Jokes song which features some really funny bad jokes. Harrelson is wonderful for his own charming personality while the often great character actor Reilly is great for his own comedic timing, including the time to fart as the guy should be in every movie. Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin are amazing in their role as Yolanda and Rhonda Johnson. With Streep doing the more showy role and Tomlin as the more comedic performance, both women do great work in their own individual roles as Streep does a great Midwestern accent as Tomlin says some funny things in the film. When they perform on stage, both women are surprising in their own performances as a ballad they sing shows the range of their voices as its proof that these two ladies can sing.

While the film isn't anywhere as movies like Nashville or Short Cuts, A Prairie Home Companion is still an amazing and exuberant film from the great Robert Altman. Thanks to a great cast, a great crew, great music, and the work of Garrison Keiller, A Prairie Home Companion does belong in the list of films that Altman has made that people can enjoy. While the film may not bring more people into the radio show, at least he makes them aware of what kind of program the show is. For this, Altman succeeds in capturing the spirit of what is A Prairie Home Companion as he bows out with style. If anyone is a fan or new to his work, A Prairie Home Companion is a true testament to the spirit and talents of Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. & Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner '88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-A-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie's Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company - (Tanner on Tanner)

© thevoid99 2011