American Reel

This film was highly recommended by a friend who is also a big David Carradine fan. His work as an actor is simple and true and he never delivers a false moment. His exceptional and eclectic work in Boxcar Bertha, Deathrace 2000, The Serpent's Egg, Mean Streets - and one of the best television shows - Kung Fu, proves that he is a valued treasure. With Quentin Tarantino's emergence as Hollywood's most sought after film director, David Carradine is the only person that he considered to play the lead in his latest epic Kill Bill. David Carradine's work in American Reel is reminiscent of Robert Duvall's powerful Academy Award winning performance in Tender Mercies. In short - see this movie.

Easily David Carradine's best performance since Bound for Glory. (And yes, he's even better than in Kill Bill vols 1 & 2.) David plays a Willie Nelson type country singer who finally finds success late in his career. This film really showcases David's unique sense of comic timing and his very fine singing and songwriting skills. The wry and somewhat world weary Carradine persona fits this character to a tee. I can't think of any other actor who could have played this role so effortlessly. This movie was just a pleasant surprise all around. Top-notch writing, fine performances, solid direction, and great original songs allow me to strongly recommend this film to Carradine fans, music fans, and to anybody who just enjoys good films.

The music world, like every other social realm, has limits and therefore aspirants fogging up its windows from the outside. One such is James Lee Springer (David Carradine). Flinty and no longer young, Springer ekes out a spare, unsatisfying existence rather than bend to the callowness of a business he can not live without. To his rescue rides a frenetic, devoted, self-serving agent (Michael Maloney). Sometimes together and sometimes at odds, the unlikely duo assaults the windmills of popular song. Along the way Maloney hires a laconic lesbian with problems of her own (Mariel Hemingway) to try to keep his talent from galloping off a cliff.

Carradine and Hemingway lope caringly through this touching story of three people alone together, while Maloney, chattering like a Western sidekick, manifests enough energy and hope for the three of them. While the movie plots the aspirations of Carradine, Maloney, without ever diminishing his costars, provides the spark.

Tom Bishop's music has a soft penetration. Mark Archer's direction is as measured as a metronome. Scott Fivelson's and Junior Burke's screenplay is clever and true.

You may never laugh out loud while watching AMERICAN REEL, but you will smile from start to finish.

This is a great example of an American indy-movie, ie, one where the hard-earned bucks were spent putting the producers' faith in the story right up there on the screen. It's not quite Tender Mercies or Coalminer's Daughter, but it certainly gives those two a run for their money. David Carradine's music and his performance are straight from the heart and Michael Moloney, playing Carradine's agent, takes his performance and turns it inside out and back again in a rare characterisation that is at times irritating and at times touching - just like an agent! Mariel Hemingway, in somewhat cynical mood here, observes the goings on with acidulous wit and in one memorable and moving scene throws that completely off in a long and revealing soliloquy. What American Reel has is heart and it deserves to be widely seen because of that. I thoroughly recommend it.

The cast does a great job acting in this small film. The overall tone of the film takes to you into the contorted road to stardom through the eye of what could be Picasso.

It takes all kinds of films to make up the world of entertainment, not just $200 million blockbusters by Jerry Bruckheimer. Considering how hard it is today to get films of this size made in Hollywood, the film deserves credit that margin alone.

If you happen to be the kind of person that does not gravitate to this kind of film, you might try looking at it from different angles. The character interplay, the direction, editing, music; maybe see what you do like instead of being fast to give it a negative. Either way you will come away broadened...