MOVIE REVIEW: COUNTRY STRONG

(2011 Sony Pictures)

REVIEW

ACTING: Don't every doubt the gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow when it comes to acting. The woman will always know what she is doing. I lost myself watching her play a troubled country icon. G.P. kept me focused on her the whole time. I do want to note though, I did feel that she came off one note after awhile, due to the desperation in the story. I do believe though that it wasn't the actors fault. Tim Mcgraw wasn't my favorite on the other hand. The man could have done more to the character of a controlling husband and manager, and only surfaced the character. The supporting cast was brilliant and nailed their parts. ACTING GRADE: A-

CINEMATOGRAPHY: When I see a movie, I want to seen a director use the most of their camera and scene. I felt that the director did. When the performances were filmed i felt i was in the bar, or in the concert. From the hotel rooms in the colors, to the landscapes of touring, i was pleasantly surprised with this films technique with the cinematography. The only real issue i had with it, is there was a lot of redundancy with the same camera angles. CINEMATOGRAPHY GRADE: A-

ENTERTAINMENT: This movie truly shows the life some lead in the entertainment industry. Drugs, alcohol and lust for more fame can affect anyone the way people in this movie did. As much as this movie did move me, the entertainment factor was dampened due to the tone of the movie. I was begging for something that would make me feel better about the characters situation, yet the theme stayed the same. ENTERTAINMENT: B-

SCRIPT: The script was phenomenal when it came to the dialogue, the plot, and the pace. To see someone reaching to please so many people at once truly told an identifiable story to many. Gwen translated the script perfect, and the struggle for the country icons serenity was worth the telling. This is definitely not one to miss. SCRIPT GRADE: A+

OVERALL GRADE: A-

RECOMMENDATION: THEATER