Grand Theft Parsons

I loved this movie, and thought it was both very sweet and very funny, which is an unusual combination.

I do want to point out that this is not a movie about Gram Parsons, which seems to have caused a little confusion with some reviewers here.

The positive reviews are from people who like the film for what it is - a cool buddy road movie with a great soundtrack. The negative reviews are from people who complain about the film's makers changing some of the facts, or not telling enough of Gram Parsons' story, or not treating him with 'respect'.

For the record, this is not about Gram Parsons, but Phil Kaufman. It's not a biopic, but a black comedy. And it's not reverential, but dark, cool, and just a little twisted.

It is, however, great fun. And highly recommended...

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.

Parsons was mythical in his own right. Sure, he was the father of country-rock and hung around the stones....etc...etc...

The movie is mythical in it's own right. Being as Phil Kaufman was the only one to really know who/what/why/when/how...I think it does alright by his accounts of the events. Heck, he was one of the producers of the movie! Knoxville and Shannon play off each other well. Applegate is always a pleasure to watch!Macht really does look like Parsons! The soundtrack and score are awesome. The filming locations seem accurate...the point is this....if you are looking for a reverent account of the death and last wishes of an icon, forget it! If you want good Saturday afternoon escapism that has a rock-n-roll lineage, this movie more than fits the role Sit back and enjoy...I have more than once!

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.

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!