The Mountain Minor

A movie depicting the hardwork on a Kentucky farm mixed with the freedom to learn to play and to explore one's feelings through music and dance.

Charlie grows up on his grandparents farm until his father finally is offered a job at GM in Dayton, Ohio. Although we know his destination, we know little of the exact location of the family farm. But that's not important as his roots are bound in the daily chores and nightly tunes taught to him by his grandfather.

Not a spoiler as it's depicted in the trailer, when Charlie is a grandparent, he tries to take over the homestead.

This is a touching, real story of thousands of families in a simpler time when people valued and respected family and tradition. The music is beautiful, the actors are convincing, the directing and edits happened without me thinking about who was behind it more that the reality of it.

I recommend the movie and will share it with my family and friends that will be moved by it.

As others have said, no pyrotechnics, car chases, blood, sex scenes, etc. I loved watching the movie. I'm on west coast and we don't have fireflies (lightning bugs) and memorable scene with Charlie playing at dusk and there were fireflies in the background. Not even Disney or Marvel has that. From the bare feet to the way everyone treated each other, dealt with death of a child, literate mom, illiterate dad, etc. . . All of it from a simpler / harder time. IMO, you have to be a grown up to appreciate the movie.

The core of the story couldn't be simpler. The scenario is rural Kentucky during the Depression. Charlie, a pre-teen boy is interested in bluegrass and learning the art of fiddling from his elders and neighbors in his spare time. The family moves to Ohio where there are job opportunities for Charlie's father. In another time frame, Charlie is a grown man in Ohio and longs for returning to his roots and his birthplace in Kentucky. As for the title, "mountain minor" is a way to tune the banjo used in bluegrass.

Director Dale Farmer has woven a fascinating film from this story casting the main roles with professional bluegrass musicians like banjoist and fiddler Dan Gellert, singer and banjoist Elizabeth LaPrelle and singer and guitarist Ma Crow. As the director (a musician himself) remarked, "musicians would be better actors than actors make musicians" The idea works like a charm. The professionals make beautiful music, do their acting chores flawlessly and the wittily scripted dialogues touch upon the magic of folk music and its relations with one's family, life and roots. The ending is an improvised, exhilarating family hoedown. I enjoyed every minute of this movie.

We enjoyed the story and a time way back then told in an easy flow of life, conversation, and music.

The wonderful mountain music is highlighted by the scenery and beauty of Appalachia, and the importance of family tradition. Charlie's fiddle may be the 'MacGuffin' that drives the story of the Abner family forward, but in many ways the music IS the story. Hop in the back of the pick-up, and let this multi-talented cast take you on a nostalgic trip down that ole dirt road. You can't help but tap your foot along the way.