'Country Strong'

'Country Strong' (PG-13) (2 stars)

Writer and Director: Shana Feste
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Leighton Meester

Movies like "Country Strong" were loved back in the 20's and 30's before cliches were a bad name. This kind of soapy melodrama might have scored with audiences back then. Actually audiences would have not cared much for this back then because it would be pretty weak in any era. Despite some good performances and a great one by Gwyneth Paltrow this is one of the worst movies of the year. I was bored, rolled my eyes a lot and got somewhat frustrated when Paltrow wasn't on screen which surprisingly is more than I expected. This movie was done ten times better with "Coal Miner's Daughter" and about 100 other stories about country stars, rock stars, you name it. Gwyneth plays Kelly Canter who to me resembles a Carrie Underwood type singer but the story was probably influenced by Faith Hill. Kelly has a drinking problem and her rehab story reminded me of Lindsay Lohan. Tim McGraw plays her manager/husband and he takes her out of rehab too soon so he can get her back to her fans. Having McGraw play the husband is what reminded me of Faith Hill and strangely I kept thinking maybe he had some input on the story, you never know. Kelly goes back on tour with a friend played by Garrett Hedlund and also on tour is a new upstart country singer, played by Leighton Meester (TV's Gossip Girl), who was a beauty queen and is wholesome but irritating.

You have seen this story countless times where the singer is an alcoholic and tries to get on the road to sobriety. Hell, it was just recently done in last year's "Crazy Heart". If you haven't seen that movie please stay away from this one and rent the Jeff Bridges classic. This story was also done much better in the 1983 film "Tender Mercies" with Robert Duvall. Now I don't expect "Country Strong" to be in that league but even the horrible turkey "The Jazz Singer" from 1980 had a fresher story. I don't expect greatness but at least I wanted to see some energy and enthusiasm. This movie is dull, slow, full of bad cliches and the story is extremely predictable. Gwyneth Paltrow is very good here but not outstanding because there is only so much you can do with dull material. She doesn't do anything better than other actresses have done with movies like this before. Tim McGraw is also very good and becoming a very decent actor. I also liked the performances by Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester but this plot and the delivery of it is so stale and hokey.

I was very impressed by Paltrow's singing but not surprised, she has sung before in a few movies. The movie lets her down because it is such an ordinary and dull movie with no personality. I laughed a lot during the movie because basically the plot has so many turns that have been done to death before. I don't mind a movie with cliches when it has a voice and energy but this movie just lies there. The best part is the concert scene at the end where Paltrow sings three songs and that was fun. I also couldn't believe that there were periods when Paltrow was off screen to concentrate on the Hedlund and Meester character's love affair. The two actors have no chemistry and the dialogue between them is laughable, fake and cliche. So watch a Faith Hill concert, rent a few movies with the same plot that are much better and wait till Paltrow hopefully sings on the Oscars telecast. Do all these things instead of groaning to death watching "Country Strong". If you like this kind of story and love country music rent the surprisingly strong "Pure Country" with George Strait.