Episode 127: A Mighty Wind (2003)

Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

The second of our looks at improvised mockumentaries about music moves forward almost 20 years, to 2003's "A Mighty Wind!" If Christopher Guest and crew had a brilliant idea in "This is Spinal Tap," they'd perfected it with this movie! Directed by Guest, and co-written by Guest and Eugene Levy, this film takes place just after a giant in the Folk industry has passed away, and his children decide to stage a reuinion some of the biggest groups he helped along, as a tribute. The film co-stars Mary Gross, Harry Shearer, Michawl McKean, Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, Jim Piddock, Don Lake, Ed Begley Jr., Larry Miller, and Jennifer Coolidge. The New Main Street Singers, the Folksmen, and Mickey and Mitch, with some baggage and more than a few issues, join the tribute concert. Along the way, we learn a lot about the groups (and in a couple cases, probably too much), and watch through the concert itself. Hilarious, full of original music that both pokes fun at, and serves as homage to, folk music of the 50s and 60s, this is an absolutely fantastic film, full of subtle (and not-so-subtle) humor, great music, and an outstanding acting job by Eugene Levy! Plus, the the trio return to one of their non-film-but-still-media loves for the next pairing!