Such a frustrating disappointment

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Folk music gets given the Spinal Tap treatment, and it's hilarious. Not surprising, as A Mighty Wind was written and directed by Christopher Guest, who along with Michael Mckean, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner, gave us the mind-blowingly brilliant This is Spinal Tap.Great parody of folk music, though the movie is not at all malicious in its parodying. The music is actually quite charming, despite its inherent naivety and idealism. Great performances from a great cast: in addition to Guest, McKean and Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Fred Willard and Ed Begley Jr. Stand-out performance goes to Eugene Levy - every expression and word of his is hilarious.

Have to say, for me, that nothing will ever Christopher Guest's brilliant "Waiting for Guffman," but "A Mighty Wind" from 2003 is a fantastic mockumentary. I found it superior to "Best in Show."This time it's a faux documentary on the reunion of '60s folk singers at Town Hall as a tribute to a late concert producer, Irving Steinbloom, arranged by his son (Bob Balaban). The performers include Mitch & Mickey, The Folksmen, and The New Main Street Singers. The cast is made up of many of Christopher Guest's repertory company: Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Michael Hitchcock, Parker Posey, Paul Dooley, and Paul Benedict; also Ed Begley Jr., Jane Lynch, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and John Michael Higgins.There are some hilarious moments, but the best thing about this film is how Guest and other composers and lyricists have captured the music, mind-blowingly authentic, as are the groups. Everyone is terrific. Some standouts are: Ed Begley as Lars Olfen, using a Yiddish phrase or word several times a sentence; Catherine O'Hara as the Mickey of Mitch & Mickey, and her nearly brain-dead partner (Levy); and Jane Lynch and John Michael Higgins, an out-there couple who worship color. Balaban underplays and makes his role as the organizing son of the late, great Steinbloom totally believable and documentary-like.If you haven't seen this, check it out, and remember (from the song "Old Joe's Place") Well…..there's a puppy in the parlor, And skillet on the stove, And a smelly old blanket, With a Navajo wove, There's a chicken on the table, But you got to say grace, There's always something cooking at, Old Joe's Place.And at Christopher Guest's.

Another lovely romp for the "Christopher Guest players," this time each are in some form of a folk music act. Immediately you notice the singing and instrumentation that each of the actors bring with them, which is an added bonus for this cast. My favorite character was Fred Willard's insane manager-character, Mike LaFontaine, who was a failed-TV personality and remembers his past in a totally different way than what happened. Also to mention are Jane Lynch (Glee) and John Michael Higgins' characters of Laurie and Terry Bohner, respectively, whose insane back-stories involve abuse ("...but it was mostly musical in nature"), adult films, and a newfound occult religion based on the worshiping of color.Despite hilarious moments, the movie really goes up and down between drama and comedy too often, mostly looking at deep relationships between the members of each and their decisions. At times, it works, but mostly I found myself asking, "why do I care about these guys?," and end up just waiting for a new scene. Eugene Levy's back-story especially was funny at times and then just got sad and sappy. The songs got a little repetitive after awhile, too, but groups like "The Folksmen" were a nice treat with their insane stories of Spanish Wars woven into musical epics...all to be ushered offstage for the next group to go on.I think if this were done differently, maybe focus on only one or two of the groups, in the same way "This is Spinal Tap" was. It drags at times, but the full performance aspect of the movie brings points back to its overall score with me.

An easy-going and pleasant comedy. Folk music isn't so much the target of Guest/Levy's satire as the documentary form (I felt The Last Waltz well and truly lampooned here). I also like the discreet way in which the passing of time from the folk heyday is marked. Sex is a licit topic of open discussion for many of the protagonists, though it seems odd or clunky to modern characters' sensibility. There's also a wonderful written set piece in which the term "nowtro" replaces retro (don't ask, just watch).That said, I felt that the film was probably a bit underwritten, relying on the technical aptitude of the cast (which is assured). Either the manner in which characters behave towards one another is based on their histories - in which case there's not quite enough backstory - or the idea is to create vignettes of artistic caprice based soley in the present, in which case it felt undercooked.Nonetheless, and in no small measure to a beautifully composed and performed digetic soundtrack, the film is celebratory. An easily overlooked wholesomeness to 60s American music history is well-honoured. 5/10