Schlockmeister

This movie started off well enough and showed promise of being an interesting movie about Appalachian music and culture. The discovery of English and Scots/Irish folksongs being preserved and sung in the mountains of the Appalachians had a lot of possibility. That is what should have been pursued instead of sinking into murky romance.

Since the story is entirely fictional anyway, why couldn't the circle of the story have been brought together by bringing Celtic musicians and these American musicians together? It would have been a better plot device if a romance developed between a Celtic musician and an American to illustrate the coming together of musical forms.

But what we have, as I said, starts off well enough, but forgets its direction and simply becomes a romance presented shakily at best. The fate of the work of Ms. Penlyric in the movie reflects the way the movie treats the music. Used for awhile and then destroyed.

The songs presented are the movies bright spots, I just wish there were more of them and the story might have stayed more on course.

For those not in touch with their inner eleven year old, I'd say pass on this one and maybe check out something by Merchant "The King Of Yuks" Ivory.

This is silly and unapologetically so. The comedy is broad, the jokes obvious and telegraphed from seven miles away. But it does work. Like "Little Nicky", you go in expecting to turn brain off and just enjoy.

The movie is the visual representation of what I picture whenever I dial the radio and come across one of those "Classic Rock" stations. Who listens to this stuff on a regular basis? Joe Dirt , who believes in the lyrics as gospel.

It's a take-off on the music, the hopefulness of the innocent (a real switch for David Spade, as he would normally be the detached smart-aleck we see the disk jockey Dennis Miller playing).

Some cameos to look for; Kevin Farley as a security guard , yep, it's Chris' brother and you'll recognize him along with the other Farley brother John as a cop. The three sorority girl radio listeners, one is Bree Turner, who has done a lot of stuff but will probably be more recognized for Hyundai commercials. Sopranos fans will appreciate a fun quickie cameo in this movie.

Lighten up, since when did we become a world of detached critics who can't just enjoy a movie anymore without disecting it to death. This movie never claimed to be a great film, just a fun one. Now a film like Mariah Carey's "Glitter" which claims to be great but ends up as garbage, that is a more worthy target.

What a wonderfully romantic fantasy this is! Audrey Hepburn is so perfect in her role as a princess who would like to see what is beyond the walls of her gilded cage. Gregory Peck as the reporter who really needs a scoop, and stumbles upon the biggest story of his life.

Rome is beautifully presented and is an uncredited co-star in this movie, it makes me want to see it, although I do realize that the Rome of 1953 is mostly long gone. Still, I can dream, and isn't that what movies are? Celluloid dreams.

Emotionally engaging, you really feel with the characters although you realize it is a fantasy. But the best fairy tales are like that. Bette Davis once said in answering the charge that movie stories are not real " If you want real, just sit on a street corner and look at people and see how long that holds your attention." No, we go to movies to escape "real", for a little bit and this movie does just that.

A top romance film, highly recommended.