Directed by Aaron Schneider
PLOT: Felix Bush (Duvall) learns of the death of an old friend and decides he’d like to both plan and attend his funeral. Attend it alive in fact and invite the whole town to come and tell stories about him. There is also a financial incentive for attendance.
He goes to the town’s funeral director, Frank Quinn (Murray) and presents his idea. The town and the funeral director have fallen on hard times so taking on Bush, harebrained scheme or not, seems like a good idea. While the funeral is being planned Bush meets up with some characters from his past: Mattie Darrow, a one-time girlfriend and Rev. Jakcson (Bill Cobbs) a man he built a chapel for. These interactions are the thrust of the film.
The funeral turns out to be the time and place for Bush to divulge the events of a night that made him the town’s curmudgeon. To say any more about these events would spoil the film. But truly, the plot is not the thing to enjoy here. What is enjoyable is Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray and Bill Cobbs reminding us of why they are still on a payroll.
This is not a great film, but it was a nice way to pass two hours with old friends. Only an actor like Duvall could pull it off.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at http://www.pattinase.blogspot.com// She hopes you’ll join in.
I'll watch Robert Duvall in anything. He's a terrific actor who can take a routine movie and turn it into something special.
Perhaps the greatest actor of our lifetime–although he does not lose himself in a role. He is always Robert Duvall.