Review of Get Low (2010) by Joel M — 26 Nov 2011

Here is the lowdown on "Get Low": Robert Duvall is one of the best actors of the last 40 years, Bill Murray can stand toe-to-toe with the best of them in the thespian ring, and could a movie be more southern than this one.

OK, enough. I actually enjoyed the indie film "Get Low" directed by first time director Aaron Schneider. The film stars Duvall as a southern geriatric hermit in the 1930's named Felix Bush who wants to have a funeral party while still living.

I wonder if Felix requested "Staying Alive" to be the theme song of the party. Bill Murray co-stars as Frank Quinn, the funeral director who obliges to Mr. Bush's wishes as long as it brings the money in.

Lucas Black also co-stars as Quinn's good-hearted assistant Buddy. I have to get a little sissy on you know, because I do have to mention that Sissy Spacek is also a supporting player in this one playing Mattie Darrow, a sister of Bush's past love.

Mr. Bush is not well-liked in the Tennessee county he is from, many in the county and nearby counties despise him so much that they continue to feed on stories of their perceptions of crimes that Felix committed as a younger man.

And yet again, another Bush despised by many. Felix wants to set the record straight on his past and that is the main reason for his desire to have a funeral party. Schneider directs "Get Low" with a gentle touch and does an admirable effort in not exploiting the situations in the film.

Schneider also prioritizes "southern country life" on being a high ingredient in "Get Low"; in other words, the movie is a "love letter to past southern life", sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song.

Screenwriters Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell scribe up "Get Low" with much southern drawl dialogue and southern thesis, maybe a bit too much. However, I loved the verbal southern-comfort wit they incorporated in the Bush and Quinn characters.

The highs of "Get Low" were the magnetic performances from Duvall and Murray. But what else would you expect from these thespian hall-of-famers. Spacek was also a delight to watch and Black was not too much out of his league with his solid supporting effort.

"Get Low" does seem like "Get Slow" sometimes with its dawdling pacing, but I still think you should "get dough" to see "Get Low" when you "get chance".

**** Good.