Get Low

"I wonder if she would have white hair?"

Let me just start out by putting it out there. Robert Duvall is amazing. I was excited to hear about this movie based on the true story of a man, Felix Bush, who in 1938 decided to have his funeral party while he was still alive. He wanted all to come who had a story to tell about him. He hires a local Funeral Director, Frank Quinn, played by Bill Murray, to help with this undertaking (pun not intended, but well placed.)The story is told and kind of guided in a way by Buddy played by Lucas Black of Fast and Furious:Tokyo Drift fame. He is not that great in the beginning, but get batter throughout. Bill Murray does great in this movie, I would not classify this as a dark movie they way some say it is, but maybe a shadowed comedy/drama.

The story begins when Felix learns that someone he knows passes away and he realizes he could be next. There are different motives for everyone that come out through the film. Sissy Spacek play and ex-love who helps Felix with his real motives and issues. The film is set in 1938 and was filmed in the hills of Georgia giving it a Midwest feel. I don't know what it is about films that are filmed in areas like this with barren trees and vacant land, films like this Blair Witch Project, True Grit, Winter's Bone and other backwoods films, but I love the filming locations.

The story takes some turns and does not get to the real purpose of the desired funeral party until the end. I never felt like this movie was slow. There was enough humor to keep me interested in each scene. Robert Duvall's character was a bitter crotchety old man so his comments are funny, and Bill Murray is, well, Bill Murray. He could just stare at the camera and make people laugh.

This film was a gem. A good find. There was not too much publicity about this film, but I liked it a lot. It was also nice that it was just over an hour and a half long. Maybe that's why it was not nominated for any awards it was not over two hours or rated R. It is worth checking it out of you need a good film that won't take up your whole night. You will still have time to make your own bucket list after the credits.

7.35 out of 10