Country Strong (2010)

Directed By: Shana Feste

Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, & Leighton Meester

MPAA Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 5 / 10

Writer and director Shana Feste reportedly said that she was inspired by Britney Spears when writing the screenplay for Country Strong. No, she didn't rock out to "Toxic" in between scenes...she used Britney's now-legendary career as a basis for this film's heroine, Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow). Kelly is a Grammy-winning, record-breaking solo artist whose career and life fall apart when she gets drunk while five months pregnant, falls off the stage, and sadly loses the baby. Her husband, James (Tim McGraw), forces her into rehab, partly because he loves his wife, but mostly because she needs good PR. When the film opens, Kelly hasn't conquered any of her demons. She's still an alcoholic, still pops pills, and is still suffering from depression. Are you seeing the connection yet? We've seen this story played out in the press countless times before, recently with Lindsay Lohan, but most famously with the aforementioned Britney. Country Strong is rightfully sympathetic towards these stars, painting a portrait of Kelly not as a fame-seeking, irresponsible bimbo...but as a broken soul who can't get her head above water. She wants to get better, but can't.

And it is Country Strong's depiction of Kelly, solidified by a stand-out performance from Gwyneth Paltrow, that really saves the film. I say "saves" because the film really is a mixed bag. Some things work, others don't, and not all of it meshes well together. It seems appropriate to compare Country Strong to the career of its inspiration: Queen Britney, as I like to call her. Anyway, Britney started out on top of the charts, her debut single becoming her first number one hit. From then on, she produced hit single after hit single, sexy music video after sexy music video, etc. etc. etc. Then, she hit a wall...a metaphorical wall, but a wall, nonetheless. Her personal life spiraled out of control, she lost custody of her children, she shaved her head, and her career was deemed all but dead after that disastrous VMA performance. But, Britney wasn't finished. She rose from her own ashes, staged a tremendous comeback, has produced three number one singles since then, and headlined a sold-out world tour. She came back...and she came back better than before. Now, the purpose of this drawn out dissection of Queen Britney, you ask? Well, Country Strong pretty much does the same thing. It starts out well, showing great promise in its early scenes. Then it hits that same metaphorical wall in its mid-section, when it becomes one soap opera-esque love triangle after another. Finally, it roars back and concludes with an emotional, heartfelt bang that lived up to and perhaps exceeded its original promise.

Unfortunately, whereas Britney has years and years to continue to be good, Country Strong is only two hours or so long. Think about it like this: this movie had a couple of hours to prove its worth and, for one-third of its duration, it floundered in tired, poorly-conceived melodrama. He's sleeping with her, but he really likes her, but she is flirting with him, and he is married to her, but she's sleeping with him...that kind of stuff. It's boring and unnecessary. This cast is too good and the basic subject matter is just too compelling to be dumbed down like this. We have Gwyneth Paltrow in what could have been an Oscar-worthy role, giving an altogether wonderful performance; she injected sympathy into her character, who can often come off as a reckless bitch. We also have Garrett Hedlund, a good actor who is just coming into his own; he's great here, really nailing the gritty charm of a true country singer. And finally, we have Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester, effective in her first major role outside of the hit show. Like her costar Blake Lively, she shows great promise. These three are very good here and, in some ways, they put focus on the problems in the film's mid-section. At times, for example, the script treats Paltrow's character like a B-grade Susan Lucci wannabe, a problem enhanced by the fact that it makes Paltrow feel like Meryl Streep in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. They and this story deserve better.

So, I'm in a little bit of a pickle about how I feel towards Country Strong and, more importantly, whether I recommend it to you. I can only honestly say that I enjoyed its beginning and its end. But, is that enough? I think it is for me...it might not be for you. With Country Strong, I can't really make a recommendation for you one way or another. All I can do...and I think I've done this fairly accurately so far...is give you an overview of what you can expect if you choose to go and see it. You'll see some great performances; Gwyneth Paltrow, especially, is very good. You'll also hear some fantastic music; country music isn't really my thing, but the songs are upbeat and, at times, quite beautiful. Plus, the cast really sings them well. At the heart of the film is a touching story of a woman who just can't get it together; the film authentically portrays her as someone who is screaming out for help, rather than attention. The ending, a bold choice to be sure, is also very crucial to whatever success the film does achieve. It's heartbreaking and genuine, even if it comes with a few mixed messages (Hey, life isn't always black-and-white, is it?). All of this is somewhat tainted by a disappointing mid-section that almost derails the entire movie. It comes off like a rerun of All My Children, albeit with catchy country tunes and good production values. The film also has this confusing trend of delivering backhanded compliments to country music, which seems weird considering how devoted it seems to be to the industry. For example, Leighton Meester's character is called "the next Carrie Underwood"...just a few scenes before Garrett Hedlund condemns her for making stupid pop songs that aren't "real country music." As a Carrie fan, I just didn't like it. Okay, I've done my job. Now, it's your turn. Will you go see it...or just skip it?