A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

I'd call myself a casual fan of Garrison Keillor's radio show. If I'm in the car early on a Saturday or Sunday evening, that's where my dial is tuned. I've even found myself sitting in the idling car for a good 20 minutes to catch the end of a show, even after I've reached my destination. As Virginia Madsen's character notes in the film, it isn't all that funny, but it does make me smile -- like delightful conversation with comfortable friends.

So why doesn't this movie work? I can tell it's aiming for the same easy-going vibe that the radio show has...but somehow it misses it completely. Instead of come-what-may, everything feels so affected. I really don't like the device of having Guy Noir (Kevin Kline) as an actual guy rather than a character and Madsen's "Dangerous Woman" was just stupid. Although I enjoyed the easy back and forth between the longtime performing sisters (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin), Streep's exaggerated midwestern accent was completely distracting -- especially as it didn't match Tomlin's at all. Lindsay Lohan's performance as an eye-rolling daughter was weak but, in fairness, there didn't seem to be much to work with character-wise (I'm an annoyed dark poetess!).

Keillor's the best thing the movie has in front of the camera. He's deadpan and relaxed -- he rambles and tosses off witty one-liners (my favorite was something like: "I'm at the age where if I start giving eulogies, I'd never stop"). Basically, his on-screen persona is equal to his on-air persona -- he didn't bother with any of the fancy devices he apparently thought were necessary for the rest of the screenplay.

I think it's an unfortunate misfire. For some reason, Keillor tried to make something big and ambitious out of something that is a small and quiet delight. I'd think he'd know better.

C-