Songcatcher

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.

I happened upon this film by chance and watched it at first because of the beautiful scenery. Hooked. I watch again every chance I get. Janet McTeer is perfect as the intelligent, suppressed Victorian woman. She plays the stiffly proper role perfectly, even after we have seen her rebellious nature early in the film by her involvement with a married man.

I have always felt that Aiden Quinn has been under appreciated. He shines in this film, as does Pat Carroll in a rare serious role. I disagree with those who call the lesbian storyline a distraction. They didn't TALK about sex during Victorian times, but they sure had it! I had no difficulty believing that two women living together in an environment so foreign to their upbringing would develop a closeness which would lead to a physical relationship.

The traditional music was wonderful, but David Mansfield's original score was incredible. My family has lived in the mountains of West Virginia since the sixteen hundreds, there is a family cemetery on the side of a mountain in the woods. Mansfield's "And the Mountains Cried" playing while the coffin was carried up the hill showed me something that could have been a picture from my family's past. It moved me so much that I sent him an email, telling him what an impact his music, especially that song, made . To my surprise, he replied, thanked me, and included the lyrics.

I loved this film. Wonderful music, beautiful costumes, humor, lust, rebellion, murder, and you can't beat the beauty of the location.

I suspect it's a more accurate portrayal of life at that time and place than most people might think.

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!

I recently caught the tail-end of this on HBO and had to watch all of it on Netflix.

It is nearly mesmerizing. I think the only flaw I found with it was the beginning. I wanted a longer beginning, so that more contrast would become evident as the movie went on.

Having said that, Songcatcher is sweet and just a bit haunting.

Jane Adams steals this with a elegant and yearning performance. But the performances are all beautiful and slow as a massage without the meter running. I've always like Aidan Quinn and I love that Janet McTeer is not a Kewpie doll someone stuck into a serious film. She's a woman - just as there were once women in movies.

I recommend it highly.

This movie was extremely moving! I saw it a couple of years ago and it continues to be fresh in my mind. A nice look at a different culture, and some very original folk music! Aidan Quinn was fantastic, it was nice to see him a role that was very original. After we watched the movie we went in search of the soundtrack. The music and lyrics were very haunting, and gave a good look into how life was like for this particular group of people.

If you are looking for a movie that is beautiful, thoughtful, endearing, and is filled with original and stirring music this is a must see for you! Even my boyfriend liked it, and he strays from watching many of these artsy films!