'Country Strong' a poor mishmash of previous efforts
Director: Shana Feste
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Leighton Meester
Cert: 12
You know you have something not quite in kilter when you see that McGraw, the only genuine country singer in the cast (with 11 Number One albums), never actually gets to sing during this curiously misshapen drama.
It's set in the world of country music (OK, so he does have a warble during the credits, but throughout the film it’s cornered by Paltrow, with no real conviction or feel for country roots, and the perky Meester).
What we have here, from writer-director Feste, is a poor mishmash of 'Crazy Heart' and 'A Star is Born', a car-crash story of fame and celebrity with Paltrow cast as star singer Kelly Canter, not quite fresh out of rehab, forced by husband-manager James (McGraw) to hit the circuit.
Along comes Kelly’s squeeze, songwriter Beau (Hedlund) and stage frightened, would-be starlet Chiles (Meester), mentored and more by James.
A set of romances heading for disaster in a film that goes strongly for tears but ends up merely gloomy and downbeat.
The singing isn’t awful, if you love country music, but it comes in such a disappointing package.
Star Rating: 3/5
