Even Paltrow can't atone film's weakness
By Christy Lemire |
January 16, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SOME of the best country songs are the ones that tell a story - ones that feature vivid imagery, a strong narrative drive and a killer emotional payoff.
The tale of a self-destructive singing superstar, "Country Strong" hints at the possibility of delivering that kind of moving experience, but ultimately it's too meandering and uneven to ever truly tug at your heart.
Writer-director Shana Feste's film occupies an uncomfortable sort of middle ground. It's not rich enough, and its characters aren't developed enough, to be a searing drama or a portrait of artistic torment; "Coal Miner's Daughter," this is not. But at the same time, it isn't over-the-top enough to be enjoyed as a divalicious guilty pleasure such as "A Star is Born" or "The Rose."
Still, "Country Strong" has its moments, mainly in the music, all of which is enjoyable if not earth-shattering and is actually sung by its stars. We already knew Gwyneth Paltrow had a voice on her from the dubious 2000 film "Duets." Here, you'd actually like to hear more from her: It would help us better get to know her character, six-time Grammy winner Kelly Canter, who comes off as a jumble of cliches that could apply to any celebrity.
She's in and out of rehab and that's where we find her at the film's start, where she's having an extramarital fling with one of the rehab center's employees. Kelly's husband and manager, James (Tim McGraw), pulls her out of treatment early to get her back on the road, and insists that wannabe country starlet Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) comes along as her opening act. From there a series of flirtations and dalliances, breakdowns and inebriated episodes play out, none of which seems to carry any more significance than any other.
Paltrow reminds us she really can act when Kelly visits the classroom of a little boy with leukemia. But when she's also saddled with trite lines such as, "Don't be afraid to fall in love, it's the only thing that matters in life," even the multitalented Paltrow can't make them sing.
The tale of a self-destructive singing superstar, "Country Strong" hints at the possibility of delivering that kind of moving experience, but ultimately it's too meandering and uneven to ever truly tug at your heart.
Writer-director Shana Feste's film occupies an uncomfortable sort of middle ground. It's not rich enough, and its characters aren't developed enough, to be a searing drama or a portrait of artistic torment; "Coal Miner's Daughter," this is not. But at the same time, it isn't over-the-top enough to be enjoyed as a divalicious guilty pleasure such as "A Star is Born" or "The Rose."
Still, "Country Strong" has its moments, mainly in the music, all of which is enjoyable if not earth-shattering and is actually sung by its stars. We already knew Gwyneth Paltrow had a voice on her from the dubious 2000 film "Duets." Here, you'd actually like to hear more from her: It would help us better get to know her character, six-time Grammy winner Kelly Canter, who comes off as a jumble of cliches that could apply to any celebrity.
She's in and out of rehab and that's where we find her at the film's start, where she's having an extramarital fling with one of the rehab center's employees. Kelly's husband and manager, James (Tim McGraw), pulls her out of treatment early to get her back on the road, and insists that wannabe country starlet Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) comes along as her opening act. From there a series of flirtations and dalliances, breakdowns and inebriated episodes play out, none of which seems to carry any more significance than any other.
Paltrow reminds us she really can act when Kelly visits the classroom of a little boy with leukemia. But when she's also saddled with trite lines such as, "Don't be afraid to fall in love, it's the only thing that matters in life," even the multitalented Paltrow can't make them sing.
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