Review of Country Strong (2010) by Dave C — 23 May 2011

I actually wasn't sure I was going to get in to this film, especially within the first half hour of the film. It throws you right in to the relationships and a sort of visual representation of the emotional lament that often drives southern country music. However, while the film bounces to and from the sort of raw representation found in the back rooms and behind the scenes that we saw in a film like "Crazy Heart", it also builds on the more performance driven aspects of the "pop star" part of the country music scene. Which is both good and bad. it is good in that, even if you don't enjoy Country music this film explores the general idea of being a music star hounded by struggles with fame and addiction. But it's bad in the sense that it could be quite true that this film gets narrowed down to something similar to live concert footage.

The performances though, even if some disagree with me, keep the film from hanging it's hat on showcasing the music. Paltrow is actually quite good in her role, and both McGraw, Hedlund and Meester provide the sort of involved performance that can help bring the more raw elements to the surface. It's a story about what we chase, love or fame. And what is worth more when all else is stripped away. The movie guides itself towards a fairly emotionally charged finish that helps keep the film real. And sure, along the way there is some decent music, and Paltrow shows she can sing and perform. But thankfully it does just a bit more than encourage you to sing along. It's not great, but it hooked me in by the end.