I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen such a beautifully shot film, with strong performances from actors I admire, with such a nauseating, contrived plot that would feel right at home on television. Get Low stars Robert Duvall as a hermit, Bill Murray as an undertaker, Lucas Black as his assistant, and Sissy Spacek as Duvall’s old flame. All four, including the young Black who is a bright spot in the disconcerting young Hollywood talent pool, fill roles they fit comfortably in and always fill those shoes admirably. As far as Duvall, one of our great, underrated, and most consistent of all actors, is the only person imaginable who can make the final revelatory speech moving, even as we acknowledge that he is spewing a bunch of tripe. The ***½ review is admittedly an overrate, but also a prime example of how great acting can save such a shitty ill conceived plot.
***1/2
