A Prairie Home Companion

[berrybearie]

So far Altman's latest ensemble piece is garnering good reviews on RT. it's got an interesting assortment of actors: Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, and of course, Garrison Keillor.

I don't know if I'll get to it this weekend, but the cast includes several actors I like and being a big public radio geek, I've listened to the show semi-regularly for years so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

Will they mention the Powdermilk biscuits and the "Norwegian bachelor farmers"?

[sjankis630]

Finally there are some movies I actually want to go see at the theater. Prairie and Cars. I think I will go see Prairie first as I don't think this one will be in theaters that long.
I was interested to see that John C Reilly and Maya Rudolph were both in this one. I had not known that. Anyway I love the radio show and plan on attending.

[Deleted]

I love PHC so I can't explain why I don't want to see this (I loved Slate's headline, "The movie where all the actors are above average"). I just read the Time review, and it's the one that I think best sums up everything else I've read, which is that even the positive critics think the movie is pretty soulless. I just get a weird "uncomfortable" vibe while watching the previews that I can't explain. Plus I'd rather the movie not spoil the images my mind makes up. (In my mind, Garrison Keillor is a wise, gray haired old gentleman. He's always been since I was a kid: seeing him for the first time in the previews and seeing he's this huge, hulking nerd kind of ruins it.)

And I can't believe that in the movie Guy Noir has been turned into the head of security at the studio, not the private eye character. Why have have him in it all, then? I wish they had gone one way: either make it about the radio show which has these characters, or treat the characters in the radio show in their own Lake Wobegon universe, not mix them up.

[india7]

I can't wait to see this! My Tommy Lee Jones (Mmmmm....MMM!), Meryl, Lily, Kevin, Maya, Woody and John C. - can't wait can't wait! Fuck the reviews, I'm there!

[Deleted]

I just saw it and thought it was pretty good. All the actors are excellent. Even Lindsay Lohan was good. If you're a fan of the show, you'll probably like it. There's more singing than talking, though. Yes- they mention Powdermilk biscuits several times.

[huntergrayson]

I really liked it as well - there's not much of a plot, though, even by Altman's standards. But the general vibe is so gosh darn fun and entertaining and all the actors have insane amounts of chemistry together. It's just a lot of fun, done by a really class-act cast. My friend wasn't even aware that there was a radio show until I told her about it but she really liked the movie as well.

poorfrances -- even though he's the head of security, Guy Noir is still very much from the 40s, PI vibe.

I wouldn't neccessarily describe it as "soulless," either. It's very casual, but very warm and definitely has some deep emotional moments as well.

Also, the movie looks gorgeous. The cinematographer gave everything a nice, burnished sheen.

[twodollars]

As a Minnesotan, I feel bad that I have no desire to see this. I loathe Altman films, they are all-soulless and icky to me. But, I hope it does really well.

[Deleted]

Question for those who have seen it: Do you need to be familiar with the radio show to enjoy it? I have read some Keillor but that was ages and ages ago and have no familiarity with the Prairie Home Companion radio show. Am I going to miss tons of jokes or references or it is pretty accessible to the uneducated?

I love Altman and will probably see it anyway, but I am sort of hesitant because I don't want to sit through two hours of references that will go right over my head (especially if those around me are laughing).

[Deleted]

I liked it. Meryl Streep of course stole the show both with her acting and her singing. She has a beautiful voice. Lily Tomlin and Meryl were great together. Kevin Kline was also very good. And I liked John C. Riley and Woody Harelson's "Bad Jokes" song. Lindsey Lohan was ok, not bad and not particularly good. I thought this was supposed to show what a great serious actress she could be, but she didn't really do much.

[Deleted]

ThursdayNext- As a Minnesotan, I've heard the show once or twice, but I don't think you need to know the show at all to enjoy the movie.