Grand Theft Parsons

Let's get three common misconceptions out of the way...

(1) This is NOT a Gram Parsons biopic.

(2) This does NOT feature a lot of Gram Parsons music (only 2 songs, I think).

(3) Quentin Tarantino had nothing to do with this movie, even though you may have gotten it in your "Touch of Tarantino" DVD box set.

So, you ask, what the heck IS this movie? Answer: It's a black comedy about the 2 days following Gram's death, based on the recollections of Gram's road manager Phil Kaufman. In that respect, it stays very close to Mr. Kaufman's account (he gives an interview on the DVD where he tells the story, basically reiterating everything that happens in the movie verbatim). So if it deviates from the truth, don't blame the filmmakers. Blame Phil Kaufman for not telling it like it was.

Really, though, the accuracy shouldn't make any difference. If we want facts, we'd be watching a documentary, not a movie. So in the same way AMADEUS took wild liberties with the truth and still made for great cinema, GRAND THEFT PARSONS should also be enjoyed purely for its entertainment value.

I don't know the first thing about Gram Parsons, his music or the bizarre circumstances following his death. But I can tell you I loved this movie. It's basically about a bunch of people fighting over a corpse. But don't expect a madcap comedy like "Weekend at Bernies". This has a very subtle style of humour, more like the deadpan comedies "Midnight Run" or "Groundhog Day". It's also a bit of a road movie, carrying a vibe much like "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas".

Some of the gags had me laughing out loud. It wasn't so much what they said as how they said it. With great acting all around, not a moment went by that I wasn't enjoying the show.

Gram Parsons fans, don't expect a movie about Gram. But at the same time, if I were a hardcore GP fan, I think I would get a real kick out of this movie, seeing that Gram raised hell not only in life, but even in death.

"Grand Theft Parsons" is the story of the kidnapping of Gram Parsons' body by Phil Kaufman, his friend and road manager, to fulfill the country music legend's wish to be cremated in the California desert. Thanks in large part to terrific performances by Johnny Knoxville (as Kaufman), Christina Applegate, and Michael Shannon, and side splitting cameos by Mary Pat Gleason, Jonathan Slavin, and Clint Culp, writer Jeremy Drysdale and director David Caffrey manage to pull off the rarest of feats – a factually based black comedy that not only succeeds, but triumphs, hilariously yet tastefully.

The tale begins with Parsons' drug overdose in the cheap motel in Joshua Tree, California. Kaufman dupes the reluctant Larry Osterberg (Shannon), a drug addled, yoga practicing hippie, to drive the latter's psychedelic hearse to the LA airport to pick up what Osterberg thinks is an empty coffin. The comedic chemistry between these two, as they encounter crisis after crisis trying to snatch the body and bring it back to Joshua Tree, is perfect - reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy. Among the obstacles they have to contend with are Parsons' gold digging ex-girlfriend (Applegate), who needs a death certificate to cash in on an informal will leaving her everything, and Parsons' father (Robert Forster), who has flown from New Orleans to pick up the body.

The movie is not without flaws. The Applegate role is purely fictional, and Parsons' real father died when he was a boy. But these characters add humor to the plot and depth to the characterization of Parsons (like all 70s rock stars, he was considered something of a womanizer), so they can easily be overlooked in the name of artistic license. And, there are some parts of the story that are not credible at all. I doubt that a body could be loaded for transport without a valid death certificate, and I've never seen a hotel bathroom that could be locked from the outside. But these are minor cavils.

Whether you're a Parsons devotee (like me), or have never heard of him (like my father, with whom I watched the film), I can just about guarantee that you'll enjoy "Grand Theft Parsons".

When so many big budget Hollywood shells get voted 8 or better here, I am amazed that so many can hate a film just because it doesn't take itself seriously, or according to one film-school dropout "failed to explore anything". And then what about the "fan of Gram Parsons for a long time" who complains that "when i found out they were making a film about him i was very exited ... was sickened by what i saw, This film wasn't about his life, it was about the aftermath of his death. I thought it would be a descent film about Grams Life and Music". So this one hates the film because he didn't bother to take the time to find out what it was about prior to watching it. Well duh! Do not be scared off by the low rating. The obvious reason all the Gram-fans have to vote it down is because as we all know "true fans" always take the object of their fandom seriously, and this film doesn't take itself seriously. It is very low-key, except Applegate, who as usual, is eye-candy. Speaking of Applegate, wasn't she in Anchorman? Now there was a film I saw only half of. Let me put it this way; if you loved Anchorman, you probably won't like this. If you're an uber-Gram-fan, you probably will hate this. If you just want a few chuckles, and are willing to laugh at stereotypes like a mellow, stoned hippie, a red-neck cop (though what a red-neck cop is doing in LA, I'm not sure), a little tugging at your inner yin-yang, then watch this. And no, absolutely contrary to the gram-fans, this isn't slapstick. It is actually the opposite. It is actually almost too mellow, and the best lines come out of nowhere.

As a Gram Parsons fan of many years I was eagerly awaiting the appearance of this movie. Finally, having read brief snippets about it on-line and in magazines over the last year, I finally got the chance to see it at the Dublin International Film Festival in Feb 2004.

This is not a straight bio-pic of Gram's life, nor does it attempt to be. It is a good-natured, affectionate comedy road-movie that is based on the recollections of Phil Kaufman, who was Gram's 'executive nanny' in the last couple of years of his life and who made the strange pact with GP that is the focus of this film.

Phil Kaufman is played by Johnny Knoxville in his first lead role. Strange choice, you may think? Well, I was sceptical too, but Knoxville turns in quite a competent performance, effectively conveying the close bond that existed between Kaufman and Gram. But his companion in the coffin-thieving escapade steals the show - a hippy going through drug withdrawal, played with a subtle comic touch by Michael Shannon. Some of the characters in the film are fictional, not least the father figure of 'Stanley Parsons' and the Christina Applegate character 'Barbara'. This doesn't detract from the overall impact though. In order to simplify things, the writer and director decided not to incorporate the complicated Parsons family history into the film (few people seeing this movie will be aware of the existence of GP's step-father and his biological father). So the character we see is really Gram's biological father brought back to life, in order to witness the wonderful achievements that his son had made through creating his music.

And what about that music in the film? Well, I had shivers running up my spine when the full force of tracks such as 'Return Of The Grievous Angel' and '$1,000 Wedding' came over the sound system in the theatre. And there was almost a tear in me eye as the coffin went up in flames as 'A Song For You' played. A wonderful moment.

Hopefully people who have never heard of Gram Parsons and his music will go to see this movie because Johnny Knoxville is in it, or simply because it's a fine, lovingly crafted low-budget comedy drama. And they may well come out converts to GP's fantastic music. As for us Gram fans, well it's a must see - touching, funny, poignant and a suitably fitting tribute.

OK I'm not a Gram Parsons Fan, in fact until last night I had hardly heard of him but I did enjoy the film. I met the star of the film Phil Kaufman and he struck me as being true to his character as portrayed in the film, a good guy. This is not a film about Gram Parsons, his life or his music but it is a great story of a mates attempt to honour a promise and I enjoyed it. I suspect as a spin off it will also introduce a lot of new people to the music of Gram Parsons and by my account that is no bad thing. I'm off to buy an album.

Ride free Scottie

BTW Nice Harley Davidson Servi-car in the film too for those real Harley fans that actually know what a Servi-car is!