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In a time of year that’s normally overrun with shallow action and over-the-top comedy, sometimes you just need to make a trip to your favorite art house theater, in search of a thoughtful indie to break up the constant flow of brainless blockbusters. And if you’re looking for something a little more potent than the usual flashy summer fare, count on the aging stars of Get Low.
Robert Duvall stars as Felix Bush, an old hermit who’s lived alone in a secluded cabin for the last 40 years. For decades, kids have spread rumors about him, and little boys have dared each other to throw rocks through his windows—but no one really knows anything about him.
It comes as quite a surprise, then, when Felix shows up in town one day, asking the local preacher to help him plan a funeral. The preacher turns Felix away—along with his huge wad of cash—but Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), the town’s struggling funeral director, is happy to step in.
Frank and his assistant, Buddy (Lucas Black), soon discover that the funeral that Felix wants isn’t the kind that Frank they had in mind. Felix wants a funeral party—and he wants to be there to enjoy it. But as word of the funeral party spreads around town, it becomes clear that Felix wants more than just a party. He wants a chance to tell his story before it’s too late.
Beautifully set in 1930s Tennessee, Get Low is a perfectly layered drama. On the surface, it’s simply a film about a reclusive old guy who wants to throw himself a party before he dies. It’s an unusual idea, which provides a solid base for the film’s easy-going sense of humor—one that Murray and Duvall deliver effortlessly, in the driest of ways.
But Get Low is so much more than just a light-hearted comedy about some crazy old man. On a deeper level, it offers a thoughtful look at a man who’s spent much of his life alone, unable to forget the mistakes of his past. As the story progresses, Felix hints at a secret that he’s kept for 40 years—his reason for becoming a hermit—and it gives the story a trace of mystery that grips the audience’s attention.
Felix is a mysterious character—and Duvall’s performance is every bit as perfectly layered as his character’s story. In the beginning, he’s rough and haggard and almost unrecognizable behind an unruly beard. For a while, he seems like he could be the stereotypical old recluse: an angry old man who chases mischievous little boys around his property with his shotgun. Yet there’s more to him—a softer side that’s been buried in 40 years of loneliness. Once he cleans himself up and gets a haircut, he lets his intelligence, his dry wit, and even his charm come through—though he carefully protects the big, thick wall that he’s built to protect his decades-old secret.
So while Get Low may seem like a simple film, the touches of mystery and humor keep it entertaining, while the layered story—with performances to match—makes it a moving and memorable drama.
