Customer Reviews

A Mighty Wind [VHS]

5 star:		(107)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(27)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Christopher Guest is the anti-Adam Sandler. Guest writes and directs comedies for people with reasonable attention spans, who can appreciate subtly wacky jokes and skilled performances by an ensemble of real comic actors. While he's always in his movies, he's always one of the ensemble, never in a "Look At Me, I'm a Star!" mode. "A Mighty Wind," which he directed and co-wrote with Eugene Levy, is a worthy addition to Guest's filmography--an affectionately goofy sendup of '60s folk music, set against the backdrop of a memorial concert for a folk music promoter. Guest is a master of the ever-so-slightly-askew, presenting his eccentric characters in talking-head interviews in which they matter-of-factly reveal themselves to be totally bonkers. There are so many delightful performances here that it's hard to mention them all, but one should note Guest himself, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer--aka Spinal Tap--as a semi-successful folk trio, the Folksmen; Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara, two of the brightest lights of SCTV, as the star-crossed duo Mitch and Mickey; and such underrated masters of comic acting as Fred Willard and Paul Dooley. One of the best things about this movie is that all of the actors are professional-class singers, and write songs that sound absolutely authentic until you listen closely to the words...Anyway, if you have anything like a well-developed sense of humor, you should find "A Mighty Wind" a source of constant chuckles and frequent belly laughs.

Christopher Guest first came to prominence in 1984, as an assistant and star in Rob Reiner's hilarious "This is Spinal Tap".

Guest learned at the hands of the master, and the last 20 years of his career have been spent on mockumentary efforts ("Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show", and, in 2002, "A Mighty Wind", where he decided to satirize the 60's folk music movement, something he and his fellow Spinal-Tappers had once done as a skit on Saturday Night Live). There are hallmarks in Guest's work. He utilizes a co-writer, the newly popular Eugene Levy (the best part of Steve Martin's recent "Bringing Down the House"), he has a regular cast of character actors that ad-lib their way through zany and satirical situations in all three films, and he conquers the art form of teasing fans and popular culture icons with gentle spoofing, double entendres, hidden meanings, and really great filmmaking.

Although I enjoyed the film in the theater, it really came into its own when I was able to watch the DVD where I could marvel at the details and depths of Guest and Levy's imagination, and the brilliance of their comedy. It's strewn throughout the film, but a lot is captured and hightlighed in the DVD's special features.

The premise of the film is simple:

Irving Steinbloom, aged icon of the 50's and 60's folk music scene, has died in New York. His son, who followed him in managing folk music acts, Jonathon (Bob Balaban)endeavors to create a "PBN" concert in his dad's memory, bringing together three of dad's oldest and most famous acts. We get to see the faded stars in their lives today, deciding to do the show, then practicing, traveling to the Big Apple and enduring some mild hoopla and memories. Finally, we see the big event.

It was easy to pick out the most outstanding performance of the film, it belonged to co-writer Levy (as Mitch), who completely convinces you, iron gray wig and all, that he is an unhinged, deer-in-the-headlights folk icon, with much of his early musical promise deadened by the cornucopia of meds he's taken over the last three decades, to try to capture some mental stability. To fully appreciate his performance, and the droll wit that drives Levy, see his ad-lib in the Special Features press conference, where Mitch does a completely credible and incredible speech, comparing Rap music to folk music. You gotta see it to believe it!

Strolling through the DVD also brought out the idiosyncrasies in the film and let me marvel at the comedic turns of the delightful Jennifer Coolidge (as Amber Cole, eastern European escapee and PR agent) and John Michael Higgins (as Terry Bohner. Leader of the "New Main Street Singers"). Both were completely over the top in "Best of Show", and even more laughable here. Both are amazing scene stealers, but you have to think back over the scene to realize it.

In the Special Features, you're really crushed to find deleted scenes that should have survived the film's editing (particularly Coolidge in a deadpan "piccolo" joke), memorable songs ("The Good Book", by the New Main Street Singers, is hilarious) and the unmatched wry and acerbic humor of commentators Guest and Levy. Guest, with amazing attention to detail, even filmed the concert portion of "A Mighty Wind" with TV cameras to be able to recreate the concert as it might have appeared on PBS or public access.

"AMW" is not for everyone. Those who won't want to probe for the humor or the double entendre or can't reminisce about the golden age and the innocence of folk music will probably think it dull, dull, dull. I've rated it four stars, because it pales in comparison to Guffman and Best in Show, but I must say, I really enjoyed the film.

Guest is a genius at understated, satirical comedy and at making gentle, loving jibes at pop culture stereotypes. Although "AMW" may be the lesser of his three films, it still proves that he is truly the king of film comedy. Can't wait for his next one!

Let's hear it for Christopher Guest! This man just goes from strength to strength. A Mighty Wind is the flip side of This is Spinal Tap--a gentle mockumentary about the folk era. With a cast that goes for days and great performances too numerous to document individually, the applause has to go to Eugene Levy (with a Thorazine-like brain effect) who is genuinely touching with his fractured mental synapses as Mitch, and to Catherine O'Hara who is utterly believable and affecting as the Mickey half of Mitch & Mickey. Bob Balaban as the organizer of the folk event is humorless sincerity personified. Ed Begley plays a Swedish-born PBS-type producer who breaks hilariously into Yiddishisms; Jennifer Coolidge is howlingly funny as the brain-sharing publicist; Fred Willard is grotesquely funny as the sleazeball music producer whose every idea is gross and/or stupid. Part of what makes this movie work so well is the terrific musical production values. The original songs are so close to the big folk hits of the 60s that they're actually quite catchy in their kitschy fashion. In true documentary fashion, there are lots of talking heads as the show is put together over a period of two weeks. What is emblematic of all Guest films is the gentle way in which he pokes fun. For those of us who lived through the era when "Blowin' In the Wind" and guitar-accompanied anti-war anthems were very much a part of the social fabric, this movie smiles at the naivety of the time without pulling too hard at the loose strings so that the fabric unravels. It's a good-natured spoof with some hilarious moments. It's fun and funny and even quite sweet.
Highly recommended.

When discussing three of the films in which Christopher Guest has been centrally involved thus far (i.e. Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind), it would be inaccurate to suggest that they follow the same formula. Rather, Guest is guided by an equation which consists of the following: an ensemble company of immensely talented actors, hilarious satirical material presented in a "mockumentary" style, and a multi-dimensional plot which concludes with a Grand Event. He directed the three films and plays a central role in them, as does Eugene Levy with whom Guest also co-authored the screenplay for each. Best in Show remains my personal favorite but A Mighty Wind is nonetheless immensely entertaining even as it (oh so subtly) suggests some serious issues along the way.

Briefly, here is the situation. Jonathan Steinbloom (Bob Balaban) is the son of a legendary producer of folk concerts in the 1950s and 1960s. In loving and respectful memory of his father, Steinbloom decides to produce a reunion concert in New York City's Town Hall which would bring together again Mitch & Mickey (Levy and Catherine O'Hara), The Folkmen (Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer) and the eight members of The New Main Street Singers. Once married, Mitch Cohen and Mickey Devlin are now divorced; when the film begins, she is now married to Leonard Crabbe (Jim Piddock). All of the performers eventually agree to appear and begin to prepare somewhat apprehensively for the concert. Of course, there are the inevitable tensions and pressures as they do so, exacerbated by the emotional baggage which several (notably Mitch & Mickey) have been dragging along in their lives for so many years. The concert finally begins and then....

Others have their own reasons for admiring this film so much. Here are three of mine. First, the most effective "mockumentaries" have a high level of verisimilitude. In this instance, if you had no idea that it is the score from A Mighty Wind, and were already familiar with various folk music groups, you would believe that selections such as "Old Joe's Place" and "Never Did No Wanderin'" are authentic. Guest and his associates took great care to ensure that the score is at least comparable with classics once performed by, for example, Dick & Dee Dee ("The Mountain's High," "Tell Me," "Young And In Love," "Love Is A Once In A Lifetime Thing," and "Where Did The Good Times Go." Now consider the titles of the songs which Mitch & Mickey sing in A Mighty Wind: "When You're Next To Me," "One More Time," "The Ballad Of Bobby And June," and "A Kiss At The End Of The Rainbow." The Folkmen and The New Main Street Singers also have their historical counterparts which other reviewers have duly noted.

The second reason is that all of the acting is first-rate. Fred Willard (as talent agent Mike LaFontaine) and Jennifer Coolidge (as PR specialist Amber Cole) are especially noteworthy. It is quite an achievement to cast so many from Best in Show in roles in this film which are wholly dissimilar. It is an even greater achievement for the actors to bring it off. To name but two, Jane Lynch (Laurie Bohner) and John Michael Higgins (Terry Bohner).

Finally, probably because I attended so many concerts 35-40 years ago and collected an even greater number of the folk music albums, A Mighty Wind evokes an abundance of pleasant memories for me, memories of an age and of a society which now seem so far away. In my opinion, this is a much more serious film than are Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. With all due respect to the effectiveness of the comic elements, there is poignance in the awkwardness between Mitch & Mickey even as they seem to reach some degree of closure when singing "A Kiss At The End Of The Rainbow." It is no fault of Guest, his cast, and crew that many such as I who enjoy seeing this film will later reflect on what awaited us at the end of our own "rainbow."

When it comes to mockumentary parodies, no one does it better than Christopher Guest. With A Mighty Wind, Guest adds a fourth satire to his resume. The topic this time around is folk music - a genre that reached its zenith of popularity during the late '60s. Like Western movies, however, it has become something of a relic. Occasionally, some aging star will come out with a new album, but, for the most part, folk music went out of vogue long before vinyl ceased to be the medium of choice for music-lovers. Of course, there's still a limited audience for this sort of music, but Guest's movie is no more aimed at them than Best in Show is targeted at dog show participants. The comedy here is pretty universal. You don't have to like folk music to appreciate A Mighty Wind, and that's what makes it so special.

The film chronicles a reunion concert featuring three once-popular folk music bands. Organized as a tribute to recently deceased music producer Irving Steinbloom by his son (Bob Balaban), the concert is headlined by three of acts from the '60s: The Folksmen, a trio (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) whose lone hit is more than thirty years old; The New Main Street Singers, a "neuftette" of nine whose image is pure Pat Boone even though one of their members (Jane Lynch) is an ex-porn star; and Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara), fondly remembered but no longer America's sweethearts. The concert is to occur live at New York's Town Hall and be broadcast nationwide on Public Broadcasting. In typical Guest fashion, not everything goes smoothly.

For the most part, the comedy in A Mighty Wind is more amusing than hilarious. The movie provokes a lot of smiles and chuckles, but few belly laughs. Guest's camera captures everything with unblinking and unflinching honesty. As was true of his previous films, that's a key to A Mighty Wind's success. The folk music, like the heavy metal songs in This Is Spinal Tap, are both satirical and faithful to their inspiration. The lyrics poke gentle fun at the genre, but are not wildly over-the-top. Several are performed in whole or in part during the film's final 30 minutes, and they stand up well under the microscope.

The majority of the major players in A Mighty Wind are Guest regulars - those who have appeared in one or more of his previous films. As the Folksmen, Spinal Tap companions Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer reunite. Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy, who have worked together since SCTV, are back for their third outing with the director. Bob Balaban is once again the "straight man," and Fred Willard is the most off-the-wall of the performers. And, despite not having much to do, Parker Posey has signed on again (she plays one of the New Main Street Singers).

Those with an appreciation of Guest's previous work - This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show - will enjoy A Mighty Wind. The movie probably isn't for those who define a comedy as a series of fart jokes and gross-out gags. A Mighty Wind is another affectionate parody - one that delights in gently poking fun at its subject rather than tearing it to pieces - with plenty of amusing moments and one-liners that vary from lily white to off-color. And, despite not being a laugh-a-minute riot, it's nevertheless one of the most consistent comedies to reach theaters thus far this year.

It's a terric film with an inspired cast giving terrific peformances, and plenty of crowd-pleasing moments. Jennifer Coolidge, in her almost cameo role, is exceptional, and Eugene Levy is absolutely brilliant. Kudos to the rest of the cast for their superb fun and wacky performances. "A Mighty Wind" is a mighty must for those who appreciate great comedy.

I'll come right out and admit it, Waiting for Guffman is my favorite Christopher Guest movie (and I've seen all of them) but this one comes in second for me (yes, before Spinal Tap!) mainly because of the brilliant performances of Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard. These two are unabashedly my favorite Christopher Guest "regulars".

Fred Willard's character is laugh-out-loud hilarious every time he appears on screen. As usual, he plays a guy thoroughly amused with himself, and consequently is incredibly amusing. You will feel yourself cheated due to his relitively small amount of screen-time compared to Guffman, causing you to possibly ask: "Wha' Happened?!!"

Anyway, A Mighty Wind is less vicious and satirical than Spinal Tap, Waiting For Guffman, or even Best In Show. You grow to truly like the characters you're watching, although the even minor threat of an actual tender relationship (between Levy and O'Hara's characters) is quickly and hilariously squelched before the credits roll.

Guest delivers a great character as his role in The Folksmen's trio, but it is too small a character to not be overshadowed by even the hilarity of two newcomers (the main members of The New Main Street Singers) who practice their own bizarre cult involving color-worship ("Wink, spelled W-I-N-C...Witches In Nature's Colors...").

This film is totally worth it if you're a true Guest fan... those not so familiar with the mocumentary style would do better starting off with a more blatantly funny of his films.

Christopher Guest has found his niche as a filmmaker, and it's the fake documentary, or "mockumentary" first pioneered by the classic film "This is Spinal Tap", in which Guest starred. He's found a style, and a troupe of actors that can carry off the humor and improvisational abilities needed to make a movie that consists of finding humor in situations, rather than jokes. Guest's first directorial foray into the field was with the hilarious "Waiting for Guffman" about a play thrown for a small town's anniversary. He followed that with "Best in Show", about a dog show. "A Mighty Wind" features 60's folk groups reuniting and gearing up for a tribute concert. It's yet another success for Guest and company.

One of the best things about the way these movies are put together is that they are respectful of the intelligence of the audience. They expect the audience to understand that these are not real people or situations, and it's up to the audience to find the humor. The characters are not judged by the actors either; they are presented as real human beings with (sometimes major) flaws. This helps the comedy. It's a lot easier to laugh at clueless folk performers who have no idea how cheesy they are but who enjoy making music, than it would be at someone that knew the music was bad and hated playing it.

Of the three groups featured in the movie (The Folksmen, The New Main Street Singers, and Mitch and Mickey), the one who might be most interesting to lovers of the mockumentary form are the Folksmen, who are played by the members of Spinal Tap - Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean. They are funny, naturally, as are the squeaky clean and cornball New Main Street Singers. The real hook for the viewer lies in the relationship of Mitch and Mickey, played lovingly by Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. They are a folk duo who separated in the late sixties, and always had a great deal of romantic tension. Mitch, a sixties casualty who has bottomed out and had a meltdown, must overcome his anxieties to perform again with Mickey. Their scenes together are funny, touching, and poignant.

In all, I would recommend "A Mighty Wind" to anyone who enjoys good, smart comedies. You don't have to be a fan of folk music to laugh at this ribbing of the genre. If you saw and liked "Spinal Tap", "...Guffman", and "Best in Show" you'll enjoy this movie all the more.

If you're a fan of "Best in Show" and "Waiting For Guffman" you will enjoy "A Mighty Wind." It does for/to the folk music scene what "Spinal Tap" did for/to heavy metal and "rockumentary" films. The cast is largely the same as in the other Guest offerings, but this time Harry Shearer and Michael McKean (Guest's Spinal Tap bandmates) join the ensemble. As usual, they create a hillareous set of offbeat characters.

This time around, the gags and satire are a bit more subtle. Eugene Levy has a more central role in this one and he gives a great comic performance. Perhaps the folk music subject matter just toned things down a bit, but there were fewer side splitting moments and more in the way of giggles and chuckles to this movie. The psuedo documentary formula was the same and Guest's improvisational approach to filmaking gives this a similar look and feel to Best in Show and Guffman.

Fans of this stuff have different favorites. I happen to think Best in Show is the funniest thing Guest has done. I would rate this as the second best offering with Guffman pulling up a very close third. Opinions differ even among fans of these movies, but it's all very funny stuff. If you like this group's earlier work you will not be disappointed with A Mighty Wind.

The first time I saw A Mighty Wind, it was as a reluctant viewer. I couldn't see the point of spoofing the folkies of the Sixties. It seemed like an easy target, after all. Although I had enjoyed This is Spinal Tap (several times) and Best of Show, I was pretty sure I would not like A Mighty Wind.

I did not laugh or even smile until the moment the stage manager slapped the fussy character played by Bob Balaban upside the head. It was so unexpected, almost as if it had been ad-libbed. After that, I couldn't stop laughing. The stupid publicist who keeps saying "Wha' hoppen?", the dead producer's son who sits in the front row looking bored, the bizarro cult couple who are so clean-cut they play Branson, the Peter, Paul, and Mary moment at the end. And I loved the Mitch and Mickey story.

The second time I watched A Mighty Wind, I realized (finally) that this isn't a spoof of the rich and ridiculous, like This is Spinal Tap or Best in Show, but more like kidding someone you like. Folkies and Public Broadcasting are easy targets, but this isn't malicious, it's fun.

There are few genres of filmmaking more challenging to tackle than the "mockumentary." For a mockumentary to be truly effective, the subject at hand must be parodied honestly, but without the kind of tawdry mean-spiritedness that easily repels audience members. The characters must be in turns ridiculous and endearing and the situations they encounter must be bizarre without seeming unrealistic. The master of this delicate art form is Christopher Guest, who has spent the last 20 years collaborating on quirky, engaging mockumentaries involving everything from heavy metal bands to community theater productions to dog shows. His latest triumph is A Mighty Wind, a film that both tickles and touches it viewers by lampooning the wonderfully awful folk music of the 1960's with scathing wit and undeniable affection.

The film centers on a concert honoring Irving Steinbloom, a recently deceased promoter who represented a variety of folk groups. The documentary cameras capture the trials and tribulations of the show's performers and organizers, all of them as loopy as they are lovable. Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer recapture their Spinal Tap chemistry as the Folksmen, a trio who sing about everything from farm animals to the Spanish Civil War with hilarious earnestness. The three men perform like a finely oiled comic machine as they battle over song arrangements, the directions to the concert site, and (in the unforgettable conclusion) their own sexual identities. They are surpassed in eccentricity only by Eugene Levy, who turns in a brilliant performance as a spaced-out folk legend who is attempting to reconcile with his former partner (the underrated Catharine O'Hara). Levy wins belly laughs as he forgets the lyrics to his sappy folk ballads and clutches a squeeze toy for emotional support, but it is his offbeat affection for O'Hara that gives the character its poignancy and believability.

Equally impressive are Bob Balaban as Steinbloom's safety-conscious son (he tries to keep his father's concert safe by removing pointy floral arrangements), Ed Begley Jr. as a Swedish television producer who is found of Yiddish expressions, and the versatile Fred Willard as a dimwitted manager with an endless stream of inappropriate folk jokes. In short, Guest's film is one the sharpest and most emotionally rewarding comedies of the year. Take a break from the hackneyed hollywood blockbusters and seek it out.