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A Mighty Wind (2003) Warner
Brothers, 1 hr. 25 mins.
Starring:
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Catherine
O’Hara, Harry Shearer, Bob Balaban, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey,
Jennifer Coolige, Jane Lynch, Larry Miller
Directed by:
Christopher Guest |
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There’s absolutely no one who
relishes the carefree concept of utilizing the mockumentary as much as
funnybone-busting filmmaker Christopher Guest. Sure, there have been other
moviemakers willing to spin their creative wheels in terms of humorously
attacking the nonsensical backbone behind this brand of cinematic genre.
But Guest somehow embodies the cockeyed spirit of his mockumentaries by
cleverly triggering his concoction of eccentric characterizations to
colorfully enhance the absurdity of their off-kilter universe. Again,
Guest consistently works his tasty warped magic with the folk music spoof
A Mighty Wind. Pervasively witty, smart, weirdly sweet and just plain
off-the-wall, A Mighty Wind blows us away with its contagious array of
knee-slapping bits within this nifty nostalgic narrative. It’s genuinely
clear that Guest and his troupe of polished players are once again on the
mark by highlighting their wacky observations with a semblance of breezy
joy in their celebrated lambasting.
A Mighty Wind can probably be legitimately branded as the third completion
for the trilogy that includes the noteworthy and quirky predecessors
Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. Although Wind doesn’t have the
snappy riotous nature or extreme nutty outrageousness as its ribald
rock-n-roll counterpart This Is Spinal Tap, this shrewdly funny
pseudo-documentary still manages to examine a different kind of musician
and how their personalities and philosophies play a significant part in
the chaotic microcosm of their so-called sensationalized world. Guest, an
underrated and brief Saturday Night Live castmember during the legendary
sketch show’s uneventful mid-eighties run, had always dabbled in hilarious
and astute skits that would later lend some unique characteristics to the
frivolous film staple known as the mockumentary. And it’s comforting to
note that Guest has instinctively corralled his usual trusty ensemble to
help partake in the favorable festivities that contributed to the success
of his previous joint ventures. The presence of dependable comic
performers such as Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Michael McKean, Harry
Shearer and Catherine O’Hara would certainly stimulate any durable
satirical material.
The premise behind A Mighty Wind gleefully borrows the ‘60s folk music
scene as its focal point and effectively uses this as a convenient floor
mat for contemporary fodder. When a big name comedy/musical producer by
the name of Irving Steinbloom passes away, his business-oriented son (Bob
Balaban) wants to seize the opportunity of developing a public television
tribute show that would feature some of his late father’s former notable
acts that he unselfishly promoted during his heyday. This undertaking
doesn’t necessary seem to be popular with the rest of the Steinbloom
offspring. In any event, this endeavor would prove to be rather tedious as
it is apparent that everyone from Steinbloom clan’s departed daddy’s past
has either moved on due to other interests or are still holding and
sorting out personal grudges from yesteryear. Of course the lingering
alienation becomes more complicated especially when considering the other
elements involved in the mix: greedy promoters, opportunistic managers and
nervous Nellie PBS network suits, etc.
In order to pay proper homage to the late great Irving Steinbloom, his
three most famous showbiz acts are recruited relentlessly to share in the
televised memories. They consist of a hippy-dippy singing duo named Mitch
and Mickey (Levy and O’Hara) who once shared a Sonny and Cher-esque
romantic bond only to find them trying to salvage what’s left of their
loving relationship despite having other significant intimate partners in
their current lives. The Folksmen (Guest and fellow SNL alumni McKean and
Shearer) are the troubled trio who carry a distinctive Crosby, Stills and
Nash sound not to mention echoing the same professional strife as their
comparable colleagues. And The New Main Street Singers are the group with
the Stevie Nicks-like mystical aura that’s incorporated into their
Wicca-induced on-stage shenanigans. Anyway, all of Steinbloom’s protégés
are to gather at New York’s Town Hall where one is expected to recollect
the free-loving times amongst the turbulent backdrop that was once the
erratic mid to late 60s and early 70s American pop culture landscape.
A Mighty Wind is effectively challenging in its ability to be subtly
scathing in its backhand merriment while possessing a sense of poignancy
about delightfully damaged individuals and the skin they’ve traveled in
throughout the topsy-turvy existence they’re forced to live in with
disdain and disillusionment. The giddy thought of has-beens exposing all
their vulnerabilities through the process of reliving their “glory days”
via a live reunion concert program resourcefully captures the mayhem with
side-splitting results. Whether through harmony or hearsay, the script is
hysterical and exceedingly insightful in the way it allows the
protagonists to embrace their past and present day ambitions as well as
the laughable shortcomings they all bring to the table. Poking fun at the
folk music craze and its self-righteous leanings in A Mighty Wind is
almost the equally wicked revelation of skewering the blatant excesses of
banal hard rock hair bands as witnessed in the aforementioned
sharp-tongued This Is Spinal Tap.
Amusingly, Guest and co-writer Levy competently find the high-maintenance
spunk in which they go about padding their exceptionally cheeky
exposition. Sure, the mere suggestion that folk singing is inherently
laughable is pretty much a given to some people, particularly to those who
really never appreciated or understood this style of music. But somehow
one can tell that by mocking what has become the trivial ugly musical
stepchild from the days gone by that Guest and his improvisers does have
some reverence and good-natured consideration for this kind of antiquated
movement in music. Otherwise, why would he even bother to brilliantly
spotlight this frothy farce with cohesive and complex kooky-minded
characters worth spending a decent hour and a half with? The movie is
solidly poetic in its lunacy and was intelligent enough to not only focus
on the silly aspects at folk music that some may regard as either
pretentious or profound as an art form but to allow its singers and
songwriters a voice to accompany the zany acoustic experience made this
project all the more palatable in its delicious condescension.
There’s no doubt that audiences will be coughing up a series of giggles
when checking out the continued ribbing of Guest’s engaging and wily
imagination. One doesn’t have to maintain a fixation for Peter, Paul and
Mary to soak up the exuberance of A Mighty Wind. After all, it’s very rare
to consistently conjure up hearty chuckles at an offbeat satire that
doesn’t mind showing its loopy affection for a subject matter that could
have been easily dismissed in this day and age of an increasingly cynical
and sensationalistic manufactured musical malaise.
Regardless of whether this spontaneous showcase belongs at a film festival
or pop music festival, this Mighty Wind whisks itself in the right comedic
direction. |
