Get Low

Although the advertisements of Get Low give top-billing to Robert Duvall and Bill Murray, it’s pretty much the former who’s the star of the show. And thanks to Duvall, it is quite a memorable show indeed.

Duvall is Felix Bush, a real-life Tennessee hermit whom his fellow citizens regard with superstition. His only companion is his mule, whom he tells would-be trespassers to beware of. Hearing one day that an old friend has passed on, Bush decides to plan for his own funeral…and have it while he’s still alive to hear the townsfolk talk about him!

This is a godsend for opportunistic undertaker Frank Quinn (Bill Murray). He has his protégée, Buddy (Lucas Black), make the arrangements for the funeral, including the hiring of Felix’s favorite preacher (Bill Cobbs). The plans for the big day get disrupted when Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek), an old acquaintance of Felix, comes in. With her, comes the tragic secret that prompted Felix’s hermit ways in the first place.

As I said, this is Robert Duvall’s show all the way. He makes such a performance as this old coot that one is easily drawn into the story. That’s not to say that the other actors are just not worth it. Among them, Bill Murray as Frank is quite an amusing character.

Its director and editor, Aaron Schneider previously won the Oscar for his short film Two Soldiers. This is his first feature film as Director, and if this is any indication, should be the first of many fine ones.