Review of Get Low (2010) by Jim C — 24 Apr 2011

Once in a while someone makes a movie that's so gritty, so dirt-under-the-fingernails real that it's hard not to like it. Get Low is one of those movies. It doesn't have a cast as flashy as some, but they're seasoned veterans with the notable exception of Lucas Black. In a departure from the Hollywood norm of 1-second scenes, Get Low has long shots held on the actors, no scene-chewing or glitz here. Robert Duvall has perfected the broken-mold old man and brings this performance off to a T. The Reverend Charlie Jackson would be hard to imagine without Bill Cobbs in the role, and the same goes for Sissy Spacek as Mattie. Bill Murray brought just enough sly humor to his character to make him the film's funny man and that's quite appropriate.

The trite phrase 'a whole greater than the sum of its parts' just seems to work to describe this movie. There's a ton of great acting, and there's warmth, a few laughs, a few tears, and a lot of time to ponder each scene. And I'm glad it moves at the relaxed pace that it does; it just seems right. I thoroughly enjoyed Get Low.