WILD ROSE tells the complicated story of Rose-Lynn, a woman on a quest to become a country music star, while also grappling with the responsibilities of being recently released from prison and a young mother of two children. (Pinched from IMDB as it’s a perfect summary).
Jessie Buckley is amazing as the chippy wannabe country singer, whose ambition is constantly compromised by base urges and bad choices. It’s a wonderful feelgood movie, the music is great and played/sing by the cast. Jessie is terrific at the mic. To me it’s what “A star is born” could have been had Lady Gaga not turned into, well, Lady Gaga after an hour. We loved it.
You?
I was put off by the ads which appeared on a couple of podcasts, a handful of cliches stuck together with cheese .
‘I want to go to Nashville!’
‘Haven’t you sacrificed enough for that dream?!’
[starring Julie Walters] ‘If you put your mind to it …. you can achieve anything!!!’
I have to say that ‘complicated’ wasn’t the word that was conveyed by the marketing.
I think it means her life is complicated rather than the story. There is a bit of cheese, but that’s a minor point.
I might watch it but I’m not sure I can bear it. I saw the trailer and the lead actress’s “Scottish” accent was awful. Really rubbed me up the wrong way.
But it’s a pet hate of mine, bad Scottish accents.
I thought she was Scottish which shows what I know.
I enjoyed it for what it was. Some decent enough Brit films in recent months with this, Fisherman’s Friends and Fighting with my Family. Minor purple patch of satisfying middle brow fare.
@Bartleby I thought Fishermans Friends was terrific so if you are putting it in the same league I might give this a go
I would, @SteveT. Satisfying, funny and warm-hearted, with just the right dose of bleak ‘realism’. And Julie Walters is terrific. All 3 a cut above the usual underwritten Brit movie.
I read somewhere that it’s nice to see Julie Walters acting rather than being “Julie Walters”.
Exactly. I didn’t like to say, but I don’t usually enjoy watching her. This time, unarguably excellent.
A mate and I used to go to the Liverpool Everyman as callow 17 year olds when she was in the company alongside Pete Postlethwaite, Bill Nighy, and Mathew Kelly. Nighy couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag but it didn’t matter because he just exuded cool. Kelly was funny and likeable. Postlethwaite was terrifying and utterly compelling. And Walters was hilarious, charismatic, and completely gorgeous. Still is as far as I’m concerned.
We enjoyed it on two levels: the story in itself and its exposition through the actors but given the plot is about a musician and her dreams, it is also important that the music stood on its own merits and my wife and I both thought it did.
The last – and best – song was written by Mary Steenburgen apparently.
That’s exactly right. The problem with Star is Born was I hated the music after the first few country soul numbers.
Enjoyed it. Started off thinking “..ergh..feelgood..now where this is going to end”.
But it didn’t – thought the ending was really satisfying, loved the whispering cameo (if a bit forced all the “Bob” genuflection) and yes, Walters was OK.