GET LOW (USA 2010) ***
Directed by Aaron Schneider

GET LOW is the story of a hermit by the name of Felix Bush (Robert Duvall).  For reasons made known at the film’s end, he decides to GET LOW after a tragic incidnet.  It all starts when Felix decides to throw himself a funeral, the first living funeral.

The local Funeral Parlor is short of dying people (business), so the owner, a sly but diligent Frank Quinn (Bill Murra) takes on the Bush’s request with his protégé, Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black).  The reason Bush wants to throw a funeral party?  So that whoever wishes, can tell their story about him.  Felix is fed up of all the rumours spreading around and wants to set the story straight.

That is as far as the simple story of this movie goes.  Bush gets a shave and haircut, looks decent, shows he is an ordinary fellow with feelings and a past.  The catch of the movie is Bush’s secret, which he reveals in a terrific speech, brilliantly delivered by Duvall.

For performances alone such as Duvall’s, Murray’s and Sissy Spacek as Bush’s one time heartthrob, GET LOW makes its grade, but the film could be more satisfying.  The main reason is the character of Felix Bush.  There is nothing in the film that director Schneider has inserted that makes the audience hate or feel affection for the lead.  So, when the secret is finally revealed, the audience takes note but could hardly care.  The audience would be more likely to be sympathetic towards Frank Quinn for all his hard and wasted work when Felix, at one point, decides to call all the funeral arrangements off.

As for the grand funeral, one wonders the reason for the whole town showing up.  I have never seen dancing and singing at a funeral party and there is no food served during this one.  But the wardrobe, sets and props of the funeral party deserves mention.  The soundtrack consists of many nostalgic old songs like Blue Heaven and 4-Leaf Clover.

GET LOW eventually emerges as a satisfying tale of a hermit made good, but the film turns heart-felt and powerful only towards the end.