Review of Nashville (1975) by Shane S — 03 Jun 2010

Nashville is a film that, due to modern-day viewers calling it either "overrated" or "overwrought" with its long running length (darn it brevity) and reliance on country music, is actually pretty underrated by all means. People go as far as to muddle the original intent of the film by calling Emilio Estevez's attempt at making a political satire, "Bobby," better and more organized. Well, sure, we had some great acting in "Bobby," especially from Wendy Christensen and Sam Witwicky, but when we see a random Norma Desmond-esque character ask for a drink ad nauseam interspliced between two bisexual men having an LSD trip and Hannibal Lecter playing chess with a wizened black man, maybe it's time to turn to this humble film about politics, obsessions, and how stupid our country can get.

This film is mainly about an independent party candidate, Hal Phillip Walker, who propagates his anti-intellectual-yet-populist message of "bawww I can't understand the star-spangled banner and lawyers ruin congress" in order to appeal to the masses (like William Jennings Bryan), while a jealous country singer, Barbara Jean, gets pushed by her husband to sing at all of these functions in order to earn something. At the same time, an exaggeratedly promiscuous folk singer (Keith Carradine, the bro of the late David) bangs with a gospel singer with a lot to worry about (considering her two deaf children who, honestly, almost tempt you to laugh out of ignorance) and a BBC reporter (who's about as crazy as her real-life grandmother and tends to overreact about everything) while not caring that he's pretty much splintering his own band. At the same time, a private in the Army stalks Barbara Jean and a nerd with a violin case acts a bit not unlike El Mariachi. On the other end of the spectrum, female Chris-chan (Gwen Welles) embarks on a singing career, despite her pretty hilarious take on singing, which results in a pretty disturbing scene.

This film does a very great job at defining the tumultuous state of politics at that time and even resonates today, with our obsession over celebrity status and the people who happen to be there and how we desire for a populist messenger who may seem great to some but is more or less anti-intellectual and pro-youth. With its usage of that van (which, like Jeff Goldblum on his Easy Rider chopper and the nerd with the violin), it goes to show that even politics can easily bleed through this life. A lot of liberalism, according to the late Robert Altman, is a good thing, but as they say, too much of a good thing is horrible. Care to defer? Look at that folk singer or Walker or Barbara Jean or the lady who can't sing to save her life. They don't conserve to save themselves - where are they? Walker doesn't exist anymore save for in the minds of those who are persecuted; Barbara Jean is long gone; that folk singer probably divorced his wife and OD'd on drugs; and female CWC is now the worst stripper ever to live in Lake Wobegon.

Is it safe for anybody? You may ask that, considering that Blazing Saddles and Billy Elliot are "relatively" safe despite their R ratings for certain aspects. Yes, it's, to me, a hard PG-13 for language, some nudity, and thematic elements involving violence. It really doesn't deserve its R - R is too strong of a rating to give it. And come on - that striptease wasn't that hot. It was pretty disturbing to see politics corrupt itself upon the youth.

Now everybody-.