Country Strong

Gwyneth Paltrow must be a great actress because, as country singer Kelly Canter in Country Strong, she seems totally unaware of her insurmountable blandness.

Country-western folks that converse with each other very,VERY softly. And if that means some of the utter banality of the dialogue doesn't quite register, it's just as well.

The performances from Garret Hedlund and Gwyneth Paltrow allowed you to feel somewhat for these characters but the melodrama was at times too much coupled with some inane dialogue that did not fit with character motives. The old school country sound was great thanks in large part to Tim McGraws musical influence and Garret Hedlunds stage presence.

In the vein of the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, you could commend Country Strong for peeling back the veneer of fame and celebrity, revealing the heartache, abuses and pain that sometimes lay beneath. But you've heard the old joke about what happens when you play a country song backwards, right? You get your dog back, you get your truck back, you get your girl back. This film piles it on so thick that if you threaded it into the projector backwards you wouldn't even get that much back.

Another stupid story of fame leading to total destruction. But why, this movie does a very bad job of explaining just why her life was so horrible. Was she too successful, too loved by too many people, or maybe she was just self absorbed and suffering from too much poor poor me. After watching this movie all I felt was mad. Mad at how stupid the story was, how stupid it would be to waste your life like that. The title should be "Country Pathetic" because there is nothing strong about it.

it's musically superb, well written, and effective cast. http://reeltorealflicks.blogspot.com/2012/09/country-strongmusically-striking.html

#11#, story, Leighton M, (Gwyneth P).

Ok film with a bad twist at the end that didn't really truly make sense.

Country musical weepie isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but it's competently put together at least.

The heavy issues and complex relationships portrayed in within were not what I expected, and didn't seem to fit well within the context of the fame and glamour of a country music star's tour. It would have worked better as an indie drama set in a small town. The performances were ok but maybe too many subplots vying for attention. Ultimately there was little emotional impact. Also the music used in the film was underwhelming and too often cut short. So, quite weak despite several good elements.

recommended

I would give this trainwreck an 85 for mere the enjoyability of it, which is camp of the purest and highest order. The director truly thought she was making a profound tale on fame, love and country legacy right? I enjoyed myself so so much seeing this.

"Remember when country music meant something to narrative filmmaking, when a tortured, soulful song put to film could document the doubts and dimensions of an entire generation?" - Glenn Heath Jr.