Get Low (film)
Encyclopedia
Get Low is a 2009 drama film directed by Aaron Schneider, written by Chris Provenzano
and C. Gaby Mitchell, and starring Robert Duvall
, Bill Murray
, Sissy Spacek
, Lucas Black
, Gerald McRaney
, Bill Cobbs
, Lori Beth Edgeman, Andrea Powell, Rebecca Grant, Scott Cooper
, and Chandler Riggs. The motion picture was filmed entirely on location in Georgia
, and support for the production was provided by the Georgia Department of Economic Development
.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
and is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
. For his performance, Robert Duvall was awarded the Hollywood Award for Best Actor in October 2010. The film was released on July 30, 2010, in the United States. It received positive reviews from critics.
), who lives as a hermit deep in the woods. Rumors surround him, like how he might have killed in cold blood, and that he's in league with the devil. So the town is surprised when Felix shows up in town, demanding a "funeral party
" for himself. Frank Quinn (Bill Murray
), the owner of the local funeral parlor, sees an opportunity for some money, and agrees to let the townsfolk tell Felix Bush the stories they've heard about him. Also a lottery is organized, where people can win Bush's property. Many people buy a ticket. However, nobody wants to tell a story because people fear revenge from Bush.
Things get more complicated when an old mystery is remembered, involving a local widow named Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek
), who was Bush's girlfriend in their youth, and her deceased sister, Mary Lee. With the help of a preacher who insists that Bush "tell her the truth," Bush recounts to those gathered at his funeral party and, particularly Mattie, about an incident 40 years ago. He reveals he had a relationship with Mattie's married sister, Mary Lee. He confessed to Mattie that it was Mary Lee who was his true love, his only love. They made plans to run away together, and when she didn't arrive at the agreed place, he went to her home to search for her. He discovered that her husband had attacked her with a hammer, knocking her out. The husband threw a kerosene lamp against a wall to set the house on fire and kill himself, the unconscious Mary Lee, and Bush. Bush fought to free himself from the attacking husband, but as his clothes caught fire, he saw Mary Lee catch fire; he knew in that moment he was unable to save her, and he escaped through a window, leaving Mary Lee and her husband to burn to death.
Suffering from survivor's guilt and refusing to ask for forgiveness from God because he didn't feel God was the victim, Bush secreted himself away in the woods in order to "jail himself" for what he perceived as his role in Mary Lee's death: His affair with Mary Lee prompted the husband to murder her the night she was to escape and meet Bush. His self-imposed exile was designed to deny himself a wife, children, and a family.
Relieved at having told his tale, he knew he could "get low" (die) in peace. Mattie forgives him, and they bond over their shared loss. Bush dies shortly after his funeral party and smiles gently at the ghostly image of Mary Lee waiting for him down the lane.
, based on 112 reviews. Robert Duvall
has had overwhelming praise from critics with John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal
predicting an Oscar nomination, writing, "...Mr. Duvall, who's probably looking at another Oscar nomination next year, gives it a heart."
Casey Burchby at DVD Talk
noted that Get Low contains "a wonderful group of performances by a dream cast. Surprisingly, none of the leads were in the running for any of 2010's major awards."
Chris Provenzano
Chris Provenzano is an American film and television writer. He co-wrote the story and screenplay for the motion picture Get Low. He served as a writer on the first season of Mad Men in 2007, writing the episode The Hobo Code and co-writing the episode Shoot...
and C. Gaby Mitchell, and starring Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
, Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
, Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
, Lucas Black
Lucas Black
Lucas York Black is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the CBS television series American Gothic as well as roles in films such as Sling Blade, Jarhead, Friday Night Lights, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Legion, Get Low, and All the Pretty Horses.-Personal...
, Gerald McRaney
Gerald McRaney
Gerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
, Bill Cobbs
Bill Cobbs
Wilbert "Bill" Cobbs is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 120 television programs and movies.-Life and career:...
, Lori Beth Edgeman, Andrea Powell, Rebecca Grant, Scott Cooper
Scott Cooper (director)
Scott Cooper is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is known for writing, directing and producing the 2009 film Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges...
, and Chandler Riggs. The motion picture was filmed entirely on location in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and support for the production was provided by the Georgia Department of Economic Development
Georgia Department of Economic Development
The Georgia Department of Economic Development is a department of the State of Georgia . It serves as the state's sales and marketing arm and the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for...
.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
and is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics is an art-house film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in December 1991 that distributes, produces and acquires specialty films from the United States and around the world. Its co-presidents are Michael Barker and Tom Bernard...
. For his performance, Robert Duvall was awarded the Hollywood Award for Best Actor in October 2010. The film was released on July 30, 2010, in the United States. It received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
No one really understands Felix Bush (Robert DuvallRobert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
), who lives as a hermit deep in the woods. Rumors surround him, like how he might have killed in cold blood, and that he's in league with the devil. So the town is surprised when Felix shows up in town, demanding a "funeral party
Living funeral
A living funeral is a gathering centered around someone who will soon die. One of the more famous living funerals was that for Morrie Schwartz which was documented in both the book and film Tuesdays with Morrie and feature Detroit Free Press sports columnist Mitch Albom as one of the central...
" for himself. Frank Quinn (Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
), the owner of the local funeral parlor, sees an opportunity for some money, and agrees to let the townsfolk tell Felix Bush the stories they've heard about him. Also a lottery is organized, where people can win Bush's property. Many people buy a ticket. However, nobody wants to tell a story because people fear revenge from Bush.
Things get more complicated when an old mystery is remembered, involving a local widow named Mattie Darrow (Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
), who was Bush's girlfriend in their youth, and her deceased sister, Mary Lee. With the help of a preacher who insists that Bush "tell her the truth," Bush recounts to those gathered at his funeral party and, particularly Mattie, about an incident 40 years ago. He reveals he had a relationship with Mattie's married sister, Mary Lee. He confessed to Mattie that it was Mary Lee who was his true love, his only love. They made plans to run away together, and when she didn't arrive at the agreed place, he went to her home to search for her. He discovered that her husband had attacked her with a hammer, knocking her out. The husband threw a kerosene lamp against a wall to set the house on fire and kill himself, the unconscious Mary Lee, and Bush. Bush fought to free himself from the attacking husband, but as his clothes caught fire, he saw Mary Lee catch fire; he knew in that moment he was unable to save her, and he escaped through a window, leaving Mary Lee and her husband to burn to death.
Suffering from survivor's guilt and refusing to ask for forgiveness from God because he didn't feel God was the victim, Bush secreted himself away in the woods in order to "jail himself" for what he perceived as his role in Mary Lee's death: His affair with Mary Lee prompted the husband to murder her the night she was to escape and meet Bush. His self-imposed exile was designed to deny himself a wife, children, and a family.
Relieved at having told his tale, he knew he could "get low" (die) in peace. Mattie forgives him, and they bond over their shared loss. Bush dies shortly after his funeral party and smiles gently at the ghostly image of Mary Lee waiting for him down the lane.
Cast
- Robert DuvallRobert DuvallRobert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
as Felix Bush - Sissy SpacekSissy SpacekSissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
as Mattie Darrow - Bill MurrayBill MurrayWilliam James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
as Frank Quinn - Lucas BlackLucas BlackLucas York Black is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the CBS television series American Gothic as well as roles in films such as Sling Blade, Jarhead, Friday Night Lights, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Legion, Get Low, and All the Pretty Horses.-Personal...
as Buddy Robinson - Gerald McRaneyGerald McRaneyGerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
as Horton - Bill CobbsBill CobbsWilbert "Bill" Cobbs is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 120 television programs and movies.-Life and career:...
as Charlie Jackson - Lori Beth Edgeman as Kathryn Robinson
- Andrea Powell as Bonnie
- Rebecca Grant as Joan
- Scott CooperScott Cooper (director)Scott Cooper is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is known for writing, directing and producing the 2009 film Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges...
as Carl - Blerim Destani as Gary
- Chandler Riggs as Tom
Production
The film is loosely based on a true story that took place in Roane County, Tennessee, in 1938. Robert Duvall's character, Felix Harry Bush, was based on a real person named Felix Breazeale.Critical response
The film has had positive reviews, with an 86% "fresh" rating (96% from top critics, out of 27 reviews) on review aggregate website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 112 reviews. Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
has had overwhelming praise from critics with John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
predicting an Oscar nomination, writing, "...Mr. Duvall, who's probably looking at another Oscar nomination next year, gives it a heart."
Casey Burchby at DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
noted that Get Low contains "a wonderful group of performances by a dream cast. Surprisingly, none of the leads were in the running for any of 2010's major awards."
Box office
The film opened to four cinemas on July 30, 2010, taking in a weekend gross of $90,900, averaging $22,725 per cinema. This placed the film at twenty-third overall for the weekend of July 30 to August 1, 2010. As of January 2011, the film has grossed $9,100,230 in North America and $401,361 in other territories, totaling $9,513,225 worldwide.External links
- True story of Felix "Bush" Breazeale
- West Coast Midnight Run, Volume 2010, Coming Soon Film Reviews - Get Low, editorial essay and documentary on Get Low