What was once quirky now seems prescient, David Byrne’s collaboration with Jonathan Demme is an amazing commentary on what America has become. Released at the height of the Reagan years, more than two decades past, this film has a timeless quality. Set in mythical Virgil Texas, the stark high-plains mirrors the emptiness the characters seek to escape in a society increasingly focused on consumption. Songs from the Talking Heads album are effortlessly woven through the framework of the movie and Byrne’s understated narrator is the perfect guide to this charming romp into our nation’s soul. John Goodman in one of his first lead roles, Swoosie Kurtz and the sorely missed Spalding Gray round out an interesting cast. Well worth seeing not just for the musical performances alone (which are excellent) but also for what stands up as a gem of independent cinema.
I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.
No comments:
Post a Comment