A Prarie Home Companion (2006)

Location: Southside Works
Seen Before: No
Rating: 4.0

Robert Altman's films don't always work with me--I don't dismiss him or them, in fact I just think there's something wrong with me when I don't like them. Prarie Home Companion, though, goes down as easy and smooth as Garrisons Keillor's voice comes across the radio dial.

It's a perfect mix of concert film and story as Altman never lets one story get more interesting than the other. I of course loved the film noir-injected subplot and way in which the ending of the show doesn't seem to be so dramatically weighing down the characters. Everyone always talks about the Altman ensembles and, really, he again lets them shine here. From actors not often given much to bite into (Woody Harrelson; Lindsay Lohan; Lily Tomlin [as of late]) to those with just recent flops under their belt (Kevin Kline in The Pink Panther--ew, dude!) they're just so much fun to watch, and you know they had fun doing it.

There's suicide, an angel of death, and the loss of beloved jobs, but Altman still manages to make the [artfully-told] feel good hit of the year.