A Mighty Wind

Christopher Guest, the man behind Spinal Tap and Best in Show, and who played the six-fingered man in the now-classic Princess Bride, has brought us yet another improvisational ensemble film. And it's too bad this one doesn't work as well as Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman because...we want more of these types of films! Or, at least I do. The group he brings together -- Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, Parker Posey, Eugene Levy -- know the art of deadpan improvisation. For background, they're all supposed to be old-time folk singers, with the Puritan-like character that goes with the territory, and they're staging a concert to commemorate the death of a beloved producer. But the songs they sing are in broad contrast to their lives, e.g.,"A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow", "Old Joe's Place", "Potato's in the Paddy Wagon." And yet, it doesn't have as many clearly funny moments as previous films (although the scene in which Balaban is worrying about the props, lights and flowers for the show is priceless). A decent rental, but I'd re-rent Best in Show instead, if I were you.

year: 2003
length: 91 min.
rating: 3.0
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310281/combined