Get Low

Dead, And Loving It - Robert Duvall and Bill Murray in Get Low
 
Time Investment: 100 min.
Return on Investment: 80 min.
 
The premise of Get Low—a man throws his own funeral party—suggests a quirky “based on a true story” comedy. Instead, Aaron Schneider’s film is decidedly serious, with Robert Duvall in an impressive (Oscar-worthy?) turn as eccentric loner Felix “Bush” Breazeale. The film’s striking opening shot, a house in flames in the dark of night, immediately establishes the tone. David Boyd’s hauntingly beautiful cinematography and authentic Southern locations establish a strong sense of place as we are introduced to Felix and the 1930s Tennessee townsfolk who fear and shun him. After the hermit confounds the local preacher with his request, an undertaker’s protégé brings the idea to his boss, savvy salesman Frank Quinn (Bill Murray, always a pleasure). Soon, Quinn and Buddy (nicely played by Lucas Black) are putting together the service. When Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek), who has a mysterious connection to Felix’s past, enters the fray, he begins to open up to those around him.
 
Handsomely produced and well acted across the board, Get Low is a strong piece with only occasional missteps into heavy-handedness. The main draw here is Duvall, who gives an involving, lived-in performance befitting his legendary status. There’s an awful lot riding on the third-act speech he gives at the party, which finally reveals his true demons. That the moment of catharsis underwhelms would seem to be the ≈creenwriters’ fault, not Duvall’s. Get Low is a passionate and unusual film, but it’s the star who renders it memorable. —Justin Lockwood