The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: A Mighty Wind (2003)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

A Mighty Wind (2003)

What place does folk music have in the world of cinema? There have been iconic films about some of the most iconic musicians in the genre like A Complete Unknown and I’m Not There. The Coen Brothers have explored folk and bluegrass in their iconic films like Inside Llewyn Davis and O Brother, Where Art Thou? But there is one mockumentary that acts as a beautiful love letter to this style of music…A Might Wind. The king of mockumentary filmmaking, Christopher Guest tells the tale of a big folk music show with a group of famous, longstanding acts coming together to reinvigorate the genre of music.

What works so well with the mockumentary format? First off, Guest had already perfected his approach, crafting a film that legitimately feels like a documentary in terms of style. You have authentic and genuine interview sequences where all these characters feel like real people who have a convincing passion for folk music. Guest also captures the tension, chaos, and shenanigans of putting on a show. Few shows go on without a hitch…there are certainly entertaining ones sprinkled throughout the film. The actors do great work as well, crafting authentic characters that react in genuine ways to the whole scenario. When you have believable performances like this, you get plenty of engaging moments that feel so real and genuine.

What is the real star of the film? The music. If you are going to make a movie about music and a show with multiple artists performing, the music better be up to snuff. Guest and company deliver so well. The duo of Mitch and Mickey have beautiful, soulful tunes that shine with the two vocalists and acoustic guitar combination in their singer-songwriter approach. The Folksmen are such a great rebranding of the Spinal Tap trio as folk performers. Their music is so classic and feels like it is ripped from the peak era of folk music. This trio plays around with different instruments and delivers plenty of charm and humor along the way. The New Main Street Singers are a type of mega group with plenty of performers that produce big, engrossing sounds. This might be a comedy with a satirical slant, but the music is made with real passion.

What is consistently the most important ingredient in all of Guest’s films? His cast of friends and colleagues deliver in A Mighty Wind as well. You have a pair of quirky and endearing turns from Eugene Levy and the late great Catherine O’Hara. The Folksmen are made up of the Spinal Tap crew (Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer) who have perfect chemistry and tension with each other. They truly feel like a band who have been together for years. Some of the other big anchoring performances amongst the on-screen musicians include Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins and Jane Lynch. Throw in the likes of Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr., and Fred Willard and you have quite the stacked cast. All these performers have brought Guest’s films to life with such zeal and energy, and they are surely a significant piece in making A Mighty Wind so great.

Are you ready for some charming folk music? Are you ready for a whole cast of impeccable performers doing their thing? Are you ready for a great example of leveraging the mockumentary format? It is time to head over to Netflix for A Mighty Wind.

A Mighty Wind is streaming on Netflix.