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neglet
07-12-2006, 07:10 AM
Caught this film last week--when Mr. Neglet actually suggests going to a movie I take him up on it--and it was pretty enjoyable. It's a weird meshing of the PHC radio show and Robert Altman character study, so if you don't enjoy either, you probably want to stay away. The plot of the film, such as it is, is that the PHC radio program is broadcasting its last show because the radio station has been sold to a corporation, and PHC is too quaint to survive. So the film itself intersperses footage of a PHC show being recorded with things going on backstage and in the theater. There is a weird fantasy angle with the appearance of Virginia Madsen's character, but it all seems to hang together.

Bits I particularly enjoyed: Kevin Kline as Guy Noir, the stage security guy; Woody Harrelson and especially John C. Reilly as Rusty and Lefty, the singing cowboys; and Tommy Lee Jones as the Axe Man (ie, new radio owner). Meryl Streep is also in the film, doing a wonderful job as always; so is Lindsay Lohan, who doesn't have a big role and plays it in an understated way (there's a decent actress under all that tabloid crap). Neglet Jr. actually enjoyed the film, too, but then he was somewhat familiar with the PHC radio show beforehand. This film was a pleasant break from the loud, frenetic blockbusters of the summer.

bluetuned
07-15-2006, 03:38 PM
I saw it recently and found it consistently amusing, although rarely really great. It was a nice movie to sit through. I'm reasonably familiar with PHC (which reminds me....where was the Lake Wobegon segment?) which certainly helped. Lefty and Dusty were the highlight to me.

Sgt. Awesome
07-15-2006, 11:52 PM
I've seen bits and pieces of it, seems pretty good. I might check it out at some point. Gotta do Da Vinci Code first (we got it second run)