A Mighty Wind

Review by Clint Morris

What is a Christopher Guest movie?

Is it a chance for old friends to catch up? A getaway from the heavy projects? A chance to improvise lines?

Or maybe, just an opportunity to do something totally deep-seated?

Yep, all that in fact.

Not only is a Guest production a chance for the actor-writer-director to fuse many of his renowned friends - who've all, at one time or another, starred in several of his previous films - but it's also a chance for the prominent comic - who rose to fame as the hare-brained rocker Nigel Tufnel in music spoof This is Spinal Tap - to let his cast loose, giving them the kind of cinematic opportunity they probably rarely get to do: act.

Like his previous efforts, Guest's A Mighty Wind plays out as a mockumentary, only this time instead of concentrating on a small-town theatre production [as Waiting for Guffman did] or a dog show [as Best in Show did], it's a reunion of ageing folk singers that plays the central tune.

The regulars are in tow - Michael McKean, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Ed Begley Jr, and Parker Posey - and so is that clearly identifiable template - a stapled array of spontaneous gags brought to life by the fantastic actors who give flesh to the incontrovertibly well-written - most of the time, loopy - bunch of characters.

This time, that loopy bunch consist of a band of former folk singers from the 60's, who're forced to re-unite for a tribute concert, organised by the son of a late music producer.

Among them, The Folksmen, a trio (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) who has only ever had the one unremarkable hit; The New Main Street Singers, a "neuftette" of nine with a former porn-star as a lead vocalist; and Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara), fondly remembered as crooning sweethearts who these days have little to do with each other.

And they'll all come together at New York's Town Hall for a gala "do" that'll be broadcast by the Public Broadcasting Network. Surely that can't all run smoothly?

Like his previous films, you don't need to be in tune with the film's topic [be it dog shows, theatre productions or in this case, folk music] to get the gags. You'll get them anyway. Guest has such universal appeal that it's not the pool his swimmers are swimming in, that's as important as the temperature of the water used to fill it.

And in those terms, everything here is warm.

Not hot, not cold, just warm. Guest's films have reached near boiling point - when the gags are side-splittingly hilarious and the script is punchier than a Tyson bout that you'll swear he's reached his peak - but in this case, everything's still humorous without being enormously hilarious.

Guest hits a high note with the casting - Levy, Willard and Coolidge especially well-cast in their parts - as well as with those terrific songs - which he and the cast wrote as well as sing - but prize scenes are too few, too far between.

Having said that, A mighty wind is still another splendid effort for Guest, as well as being a consistently enjoyable - and amusing - film.

3 out of 5

A Mighty Wind
Australian release: Thursday July 24th
Cast: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Larry Miller, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr, Jim Piddock, Jennifer Coolidge.
Director: Christopher Guest.
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