MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Get Low Rated PG-13

Directed by Aaron Schneider.  Starring Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek

Photo © 2010 Sony Pictures Classics
Movie Review by Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

Felix Bush (Duvall) is a bit of a hermit, living by himself in a rundown house and being avoided by most people.  There are stories about who he is and what he does.  Nobody really knows. 

It’s Depression-era Tennessee and this character at first seems like Boo Radley, the mysterious loner from Depression-era Alabama in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, Robert Duvall’s first film appearance. 

When Frank hears about the death of a close friend, he starts to think about his own mortality and contacts Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), the local undertaker, to arrange his own funeral, right here and right now, while he is still living. 

Folks don’t know how to die like they do in Chicago and Frank’s business is lean enough to accommodate the request. 

So begins Get Low, a nice little independent film with A-List stars, full of great performances from Duvall, Murray, Sissy Spacek (as one of Frank’s former girlfriends) and Lucas Black (the kid from 1996’s Sling Blade who has continued to act in films ever since). 

There is rich period detail and evocatively lit scenes of the Georgia countryside (standing in for Tennessee).  What is missing is a compelling story. 

Planning this eccentric funeral could have been interesting, but the script has Felix requesting a black preacher from Chicago (who arrives causing little concern) and a back-story about a village secret that should have been revealed years ago. 

Duvall and Murray give Oscar-worthy performances (and I, for one, hope that Bill Murray begins to get the respect due for his brilliantly deadpan characters), but the film fails to satisfy. 

The trailer for Get Low seems to imply that it is a quirky indie comedy; it is described on imdb.com as a “comedy/drama/mystery”. 

I suggest that you get in low, waiting a few months for DVD, Netflix, or cable viewings.



Pitchfork/Halo Ratings:
Two halos.
A nice character study in need of a satisfying story.

Two pitchforks.
Mild swearing and talk about adultery.

COMMENTS!

Do you have comments about this movie or movie review? Email comments. (Your comments will be posted to our web site.)