Get Low [2010]

After watching this movie, I’m surprised that Robert Duvall wasn’t even considered for a best actor nomination at this year’s oscars. He gives one of his most poignant performances and I can’t think of any actor who could have pulled it off better than he did. He plays an old hermit who’s been kept out of public for 40 years, punishing himself for a crime he did not commit. He’s old, and feels that the time has come to finally reveal his life’s story. He approaches funeral home director Frank Quinn (an amusing Bill Murray) to organize hiw own funeral party, while he is still alive. The party would be the chance to gain the peace that has eluded him for so long.

“Get Low”, from rookie director Aaron Schneider, is a fascinating character study played with perfection by Robert Duvall. He fully embraces the cranky old man that is Felix Bush, while still making him decent enough to care about his journey. His relationship with every character in the movie is important and well developed, but his finest moment is without a doubt the speech he gives at the party. Here, he acts his heart out and I think it’s the scene that should have gotten him at least an oscar nomination. The rest of the cast does a fine job aswell, including Bill Murray who plays a role he’s played so many times before-that of a dry, sarcastic man, but he’s good at it, so no complaints there. Much credit has to go to first time director Aaron Schneider aswell, a longtime cinematographer who clearly bonded with this material, and managed to tell his story with an incredible eye for details. In the end,” Get Low” is a movie that will probably get lost in the shuffle; afterall, it is an independent feature, but it is as perfect a job of filmmaking as you’re likely to see these days, and to miss it would be a damn shame.

Rating: 3/4