Songcatcher

Just saw this tonight as part of the Spirit Awards showings. A nice surprise, since I spend long hours listening to Alan Lomax's field recordings of mountaineers singing old ballads when I was at Bard College - and later parlayed that experience into a radio job, hosting a traditional music show.

That aspect alone should make anyone loves this music run to see the show. It's reproduced with great authority, and a lot of chestnuts which haven't been heard in Pop culture since Joan Baez are played much as they must have been when first heard: "Matty Groves", "Barbry Allen", "I Wish I Was Single Again", etc. The castng overall is superb - Janet McTeer is a unique and believable presence; Pat Carroll delightful as a mountain matriarch; Aiden Quinn his charming, virile self.

The plot is acceptable, if not 100% believable - several of the (discreet) sexual situations peppered throughout seem much colored by modern attitudes. Especially the reckless bit of carelessness which leads to one of the key catastrophes in the film. And these backwoods people are just a LITTLE too understanding on the issue involved.

On the other hand, several obvious threads veer into surprising directions - the ending being one of them. And the glimpse of Appalachian life will be a revelation to many.

Not to mention the music. Lots and lots of wonderful music. Including Emmy Lou Harris' (NOT Dolly Parton's) closing number over the credits.

Jim Chevallier North Hollywood, CA

What is life for? That's a question that many people throughout the ages have asked. There is no question in the mind of Tom Bledsoe (Aidan Quinn). Life is for enjoying. His idea of enjoying is playing music and drinking corn liquor. I don't know if I can argue with that.

Neither could Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer), Doctor of Musicology, who came up into the mountains to visit her sister Elna (Jane Adams), and discovered music that had not been heard by "outlanders" in hundreds of years. Songs that were originally written in Ireland and Scotland and hidden in the Apppalatian Mountains. She discovered that there was indeed culture among those whom the outlanders considered ignorant, inbred hillbillies, and she was determined to capture and share that culture.

In the process, she learned what life was really all about. It was a beautiful, tender story about people and differences; like the reaction over the discovery of her sister's partner, Harriet (E. Katherine Kerr).

The music was awesome, and this was Emmy Rossum's first movie. I loved her in The Phantom of the Opera, The Day after Tomorrow, and Mystic River; and now add another great performance to the list. I wasn't inclined to see Posiden, but I will make it a point now to see her again.

I have to end with a note about Pat Carroll, who played Viney Butlet. Her career is is old as i am and I am sure that I have probably seen her many times over the years and not known who she was. I will not forget now, as she was the most interesting character in the movie. Brava!

Songcatcher is a fantastic film about understanding culture and people throughout the beauty of music and the poetry of songs. Every beat and word represents something that in many ways is so personally related to people's lives, history and emotions.

This is the lovely story of Dr. Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) a preeminent teacher musician who impulsively decides to run to visit her sister at a struggling rural school in the Appalachia, right after being denied of an anticipated promotion where she teaches. Over there (in the mountains) she founds a new meaning to her life by finding love and discovering very culturally important Scott-Irish ballads that she might use to save her promotion.

The whole cast performances are awesome, especially Janet McTeer who comes back with another tremendous performance and Aidan Quinn who hasn't been this good so far.

Writer/director Maggie Greenwald gives us a very fresh and tender story that describes so well all characters, situations with the very real and touching concept of music.

Finally, but not the least, David Mansfield music is fantastic. He amazingly takes excellent care of every musical detail related to the lives of these beautiful characters.

Robinson Almanzar.

Beautiful music, and even more beautiful portrayal of a music-lover. The main character Lily's love oozes off the screen and shames everyone who's ever made a tape or CD music collection with far less effort and trial -- and persistence. No less beautiful is the love that catches fire between the leads, and where it takes them.

If you believe music, not to mention love, should be near the helm of your ship, you will savor the textures of this surprisingly fine home-made wine of a story. If you've also ever loved simple folk music, then that will be sinfully delicious icing on the cake. Hat's off to the crew for this very-obviously (and satisfyingly successful) labor of love.

Finally, a movie that does not insult your intelligence. No anorexic Barbie dolls, or exploding cars, so beloved by the 100% red blooded American male. Aidan Quinn, who I could "take or leave" in previous performances delivers a masterful performance, in my opinion. Janet Mcteer whose character is the "glue", holding the story together, also justifies her selection for this role. But the "revelation" of the film, is the performance of Pat Carroll as Viney Butler. If this isn't Academy Award level acting then I haven't learned anything in over fifty years of filmgoing. The only way I remember her, is as a sometime guest on the Jack Paar show. I have not seen her act ever. I had no idea I was watching Pat Carroll untill I glanced at the box the video came in. I was incredulous! Completely gone was any characteristic of Pat Carroll, and in her place was this mountain woman, surviving for about seventy years in an enviornment that would give most of us nervous breakdowns. Pat, this role is truly your magnum opus! God bless you.