Linea diretta - Un'occasione unica

this is the best dolly parton movie ever.she is great in it along with james woods griffen dunne and teri hatcher.it tells the story of the woman who sent to go to chicago but got more.i loved this movie ever since it came out and i watched at least once a week.i give this movie two thumbs up.

Dolly starts out working at a dance hall but gets fired by her boss (played by John Sayles) and is sick of her abusive boyfriend (Michael Madsen) so she leaves for Chicago with his bowling ball.

Through a highly improbable set of circumstances, she becomes a radio 'therapist'; it comes easy to her since she's thoughtful, has common sense and some down-home charm. Soon she has a national following as 'Dr. Shirley.'

Soon she has James Woods' reporter following her around. He smells a story and thinks she might be a fake but cannot prove it. He also falls for her.

Comedy is supplied by Griffin Dunne's maniac/radio station exec, a very funny scene with Dr. Shirley on a talk show, and the chemistry between James Woods & Dolly Parton, two actors you might not think of in the same galaxy but who work together very well.

Small movie has a lot going for it. 7/10.

A simple and inspiring movie. Dolly Parton's performance was outstanding!!! Got a little choked up at the end. A great movie when you want something inspiring and touching. A pure entertainment kind of deal. Disagree with Ebert's criticism that the movie is not representative of the radio or journalism business as I really don't care; i didn't watch the movie to be informed or educated about either of these businesses.

An unlikely pair of actors, James Woods and Dolly Parton prove to be well cast, and their performances raise the level of the movie above the limits of the script. Woods is always good, but Dolly Parton is remarkable. Why don't we have more movies with her? This woman is so talented it breaks your heart.

Woods is the kind of brainy actor who has worked with so many prestige directors, it only raises my esteem for him that he took on this assignment with Parton. I'd like to believe he recognized the value of Dolly's screen persona and wanted to share in the light she brings to every project.

I was thinking that James Woods is the only actor to star opposite both Dolly Parton and Sharon Stone (well, there is one other brand name actor who's done that -- know who?).

My hope is that some day Dolly gets re-discovered through a Sundance project. Or maybe Quentin Tarantino will decide to film a ketchup-free love story and give Dolly the break she deserves. Hey, QT, you were born in Tennessee, right? Give Dolly a call...

Shirlee Kenyon (Dolly Parton) leaves her small town and deadbeat boyfriend (Michael Madsen!) for the big city (Chicago). She loves giving advice to people. She accidentally gets on the radio one day and starts giving callers her honest, kind advice about their love lives and such. She is immediately a hit (just like real life huh?) and becomes wildly popular. Investigative reporter Jack Russell (James Woods--yes THAT James Woods) starts looking into her past and slowly starts to fall in love.

The story is ridiculous and familiar at the same time but I DID like this movie. Parton's charm and acting (I think she's good) carry this film through its rough spots. The story moves quickly and (if you don't think about it TOO much) it's actually not too bad. Also Parton sings a few nice (if unmemorable) songs. The title track was supposed to be a hit but didn't make it. The only negative thing about this is Woods. Now, he's a great actor but casting him as a romantic lead just doesn't work. He's uncharacteristically frantic and seems uncomfortable. Still he does try. Casting Madsen as Parton's boyfriend was another bad choice. Look for a young Teri Hatcher at the beginning before she hit it big with "Lois and Clark".

I was one of the few people to see this in a theatre. There was virtually no advertising and the movie disappeared quickly. The studio dumped it completely...but it's not THAT bad. If you hate Parton steer clear of this. But, if you like her, you'll get a kick out of this. I give this a 7.