Country Strong

[mrsl]

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As one of the hard core C & W fans around here, after seeing this movie on Saturday for the first time, I thought I would give my opinions of it. I didn't love it, but I like Gwynneth Paltrow in almost everything she does. However, the highlight of the film came for me when the story opened in a small country bar with the male star (GArrett Hedlund as Bo), of the movie singing my favority ALL TIME Country & Western song. It's an antique from the Okie from Muskogee, old Merle Haggard singing 'Silver Wings'. I loved that song the first time I heard it, and have never, in probably 40 years ever tired of hearing it. In fact I have it on a Merle CD in my car and I often click back when it's over to hear it again immediately (sometimes 3 and 4 times). One thing I have a problem with is the drug problem that C&W people are supposed to have. Mainly the new gals coming up have a hit with their first recording, and quickly cross over to R&B. However, the stars of my generation were basically home folks even after hitting it big. You could often see Loretta Lynn and Johnny & Rosann Cash at the local Piggely Wiggely (after he finally reformed, that is). I'm not saying some of them didn't have problems. Loretta had the same problem as Elvis -- too many doctors giving too many scrips without consulting the others. I'm just saying that C&W singers lived fairly decent lives, so movies had to beef up their stories. Poor Coal Miner's Daughter, what a crock that was!

Anyway, in this one, Gwynneth is a fallen star who is trying to come back. She fell off the stage at 8 mos. p.g., lost the baby, and couldn't handle it. Naturally the papparazzi treated it as being drunk instead of a case of losing her balance but her fans hung on. After the incident she does go on a bender and ends up in rehab where she meets this fellow (Bo,), who is helping her get her strength and courage back. Unfortunately she's married to Tim McGraw who is becoming quite an actor. He's shown promise in most of all he's done, especially in The Blind Side, and in this he's not a bad guy, just overbearing when it comes to Kelly's (Gynneth) career and he insists in pulling her out of rehab before she is ready, In her first concert, she blows it completely, talking instead of singing about her baby and ending up in massive tears. The wierd thing about this movie is that Gynneth, Garrett Hedlund, and the other gal all sing in here at least one or two songs each, and Mr. Entertainer of the year, winner of countless C&W awards and fabulous singer doesn't sing a note. I read somewhere that he wanted it that way because this movie was about Kelly and Bo, not him. I'm happy to see his fame continuing and possibly going into movies now, and can't help thinking how old Tug McGraw must have kicked himself plenty for being such a jerk when he had a son who made so much of himself. None of his baseball trophies can compare to having a son like Tim to be proud of.

My point however is, you may find you like it. Some of the people on the message boards I've seen brought friends who were not C&W fans but the friends liked it anyway.

I know the professional previews of this film were mostly bad, but unless you go nuts when hearing country music, except for being a little too long, and some of the dialog should have been cut, it's not too bad, especially now on the cable movie channels.

[sandykaypax]

Nice write-up on Country Strong, Anne. I am not a country music fan--I don't dislike it, I just don't really listen to it on a regular basis. I do enjoy several country artists and songs, here and there. I also like Gwyneth Paltrow, so I will probably watch Country Strong when I see it on the dvd shelf at my library.

I find it interesting that Paltrow seems to be pursuing a musical career as well as an acting career. Her voice is pleasant, yet on the small side. She does a duet with Matthew Morrison on his new cd.

Sandy K