Review of Nashville (1975) by Andy P — 12 Mar 2008

When I initially saw this, I thought it was good, but nothing great, so I gave it 4 stars. Then I rewatched it some time later, and it suddenly really clicked, so I bumped it up half a star. Then I decided to buy it, I have watched it a few more times, and I have now awarded it 5 stars.

If there was ever a movie to watch more than once, it's this one. It's so chock full of characters, motivations, and subtle moments, it's no wonder that I missed what was going on the first time.

Altman's plotlessness, over-lapping dialogue, and crowded sequences are at full force here, and boy is it a treat to watch. All of the acting is perfect, and about as naturalistic and realistic as I've ever seen.

Lily Tomlin is especially good and Karen Black has a surprisingly nice voice. Altman never intrudes upon the movie; his camera is always a distant observer to the vast goings-on. And quite a bit of the music is actually really wonderful, especially Keith Carradine's "I'm Easy" and pretty much any song by Ronee Blakely (who is a talented actress AND singer/songwriter, making it sad that she never hit it big).

It's a mild comedy that is amusing to watch and a drama that never goes into over-the-top hysterics. It couldn't be more of a time capsule; I never lived in the 70's, nor in Nashville, but it certainly feels like I did after having soaked up everything from this movie.

And the ending, which I didn't think worked at all when I first watched it, is actually quite brilliant. Whether it's a hopeful or pessamisitc view of our culture overall, I'm not entirely sure, but that's why I like it; it goes both ways.

One of my absolute favorites, and the best I've seen from Altman.