Country Strong

Well if you haven't seen Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, and Leighton Meester, then you are missing out. While the movie may not have received rave reviews from critics,  I'm  always game when it comes to hearing a good story! So, as you can imagine, I really didn't agree with most of the reviews I read about the movie.  To be honest, at first I found difficulty trying to imagine Gwyneth Paltrow in a country singer role, but to my surprise she didn't do half bad. She brought an interesting mix to the character and her struggles. She had to give her character a bit of a bad-girl/ party girl twist, but with Gwyneth, and her quiet, shy demeanor, she brought a natural elegance, charm, wisdom, and grace -reminiscent of Loretta Lynn and Emmy Lou to her character. Okay, so not when she was drunkenly romping in the sack with one of her financial investors, or when she was having her extramarital fling with rising-star Bo, but as with most problem drinkers and drug addicts, her character wasn't too concerned with morality issues while under the influence. She was drinking to forget, to cope and deal with the shit-life she was living. And well- let's face it, the oldies , but goodies like Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, are no strangers to the hardships and struggles in life. Tim McGraw, by the way, did an outstanding job playing the role of her supportive, yet blindly naive husband. His character stayed true to real life and how we sometime throw ourselves into work to over compensate those areas that are too painful to deal with. I also found his character believable because while a spouse can be supportive, he or she can fail to hear what the other person is trying to tell them. I am not sure if people do this to avoid uncertainty and truth or because many  are clinging to the false hope that tomorrow will bring a brighter and better day.  Bo, played by Garrett Hedlund, was also a very believable character. He offered salt-of-the-earth, down home charm and gave the audience a bit of stability necessary in any bad situation. He was a vision of strength and the best friend we all crave when things go wrong. And Leighton Meester's character as the wide-eyed, innocent yearning for fame and stardom, struck a chord in every little girl's heart who ever had a dream that she could taste so badly her stomach hurt. While this cast of character were an unlike group of individuals that I would have ever imagined in a film together, they added an interesting blend of heart and soulful appeal that worked quite well in this particular drama. So, simply ignore the critics, and take out some time to watch Country Strong. You'll enjoy it. Frankly speaking, when a critic gives a movie like Country Strong a bad review, I think it tells a little more about the critic and what values they place on mainstream popularity than taking the time out to stop and think about all of the hidden truths that lie inside the actions and script- you know- the bigger picture that tells a not so glorified story of human nature, of weakness and strength, of rejoice and regret and staying true to oneself. I hope you will give the movie a chance. Watch it more than once if you have to, but give it the time and attention it so richly deserves.
You can check out one of the movie trailers here if you like or

find Country Strong  on Amazon today!
While you're at it, hunt ole' Tim McGraw up on Amazon too! And just or the record- I think Garrett Hedlund did an awesome job on his vocals and to be honest I'm going to purchase the soundtrack or well- CD. But until then, I'll enjoy some of the small videos with Garrett Hedlund here!