User reviews

What is life for? That's a question that many people throughout the ages have asked. There is no question in the mind of Tom Bledsoe (Aidan Quinn). Life is for enjoying. His idea of enjoying is playing music and drinking corn liquor. I don't know if I can argue with that.

Neither could Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer), Doctor of Musicology, who came up into the mountains to visit her sister Elna (Jane Adams), and discovered music that had not been heard by "outlanders" in hundreds of years. Songs that were originally written in Ireland and Scotland and hidden in the Apppalatian Mountains. She discovered that there was indeed culture among those whom the outlanders considered ignorant, inbred hillbillies, and she was determined to capture and share that culture.

In the process, she learned what life was really all about. It was a beautiful, tender story about people and differences; like the reaction over the discovery of her sister's partner, Harriet (E. Katherine Kerr).

The music was awesome, and this was Emmy Rossum's first movie. I loved her in The Phantom of the Opera, The Day after Tomorrow, and Mystic River; and now add another great performance to the list. I wasn't inclined to see Posiden, but I will make it a point now to see her again.

I have to end with a note about Pat Carroll, who played Viney Butlet. Her career is is old as i am and I am sure that I have probably seen her many times over the years and not known who she was. I will not forget now, as she was the most interesting character in the movie. Brava!

Songcatcher is a film that shows the side of the mountain people that has been unknown for years. It's kind of like an indie, female version of Oh Brother Where Art Thou, but with a feminist touch and more and better music. The film is very enjoyable with some exceptional acting particularly in the case of Janet McTeer, Aidan Quinn and Emmy Rossum and features some lovely and moving renditions of classic ballads. Maggie Greenwald (The Ballad of Little Jo, for which she wrote and directed) is also both the director and writer of Songcatcher and she has done a fabulous job. The film's focus is on musicologist Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) in the early 1900s who has just been passed over for a permanent teaching position for the second time. She becomes embittered and decides to leave the school and go to the mountains to visit her sister (Jane Adams) at her school in the mountains of North Carolina. There she learns, to her delight, that many of the old Irish/Scottish ballads have been preserved in their original form, after hearing them sung by her sister's warden Deladis Slocumb (the always delightful Emmy Rossum). After hearing Deladis sing these ballads Lily becomes obsessed with collecting and publishing the songs. With the help of Deladis and her boyfriend Fate Honeycutt (don't you just love these names) Lily goes around the mountain collecting songs. One of her first stops is at incorrigible Viney Butler (Pat Carroll). While she's there Lily meets Viney's grandson Tom Bledsoe (a nearly unrecognizable Aidan Quinn).

The two clash at first but they eventually become, no surprise, romantically involved. Along the way we also meet Lily's antagonist Earl Giddens (David Patrick Kelly) who's has been 'educated' down the mountain and wants to turn the mountain in a coal mine. While collecting the songs, Lily slowly begins to crack from her shell and she learns to love the people of the mountain. The photography in the film is spectacular. It's vibrant and bright with some terrific shots of the wizardly Carolina Mountains. Maggie Greenwald brings the beauty of the mountains out with long-range shots at sunset. As I stated earlier the acting in this film is superb so there are no complaints from me. Lily Penleric was played perfectly by Janet McTeer who seems to be able to convey so much emotion through her eyes. Tom Bledsoe was such a different character than I had ever seen Aidan Quinn play before and it was quite refreshing. He was great as a grumbling, dirty yet somehow attractive mountain man. And Emmy Rossum, in her feature film debut, gives a stunning performance as the angelic voiced ward.

The music in the film is probably it's best asset. Greenwald had actual singers and musicians play the musical parts. Iris Dement and Taj Mahal were just two of the musicians in this film and they added an authenticity to the film. All the songs in this movie were amazing and as soon as I saw this film I went out and bought the soundtrack. The only problems I had with the film are that the plot sometimes seemed a little forced, a little contrived and that there were too many subplots. There were probably in total about seven or eight different plot lines weaved in and out throughout the film. In some films this might work but Greenwald doesn't quite pull it off. The lesbian subplot was not needed at all. It actually took away from the authenticity of the film and didn't seem to fit in with the time period, which was the late Victorian era. Overall I would definitely recommend this movie, especially to those that really enjoyed movies like Oh Brother Where Art Thou. This film captivates the beauty of the Carolina Mountains and shows what the music of the mountains is really like.

"Your music is like the air you breathe" Lily Penleric, Songcatcher

This is for the most part an interesting film but the main problem is how the story seems to veer off track and not pay enough attention to what was interesting in the first place. Director and writer Maggie Greenwald later in the film interjects modern subplots that only serve the audience to rail against the obviousness of those ideas. The things that I liked about this film are the beautiful cinematography of the Appalachian mountains that really enhance the realistic quality of the film and of course the music. The music is the central ingredient in this story and the Scottish and Irish ballads add an indelible flavor that really make it the primary reason to view this film. In fact, musicians Taj Mahal and Iris Dement have roles in this film. Janet McTeer is well cast as Lily the musicologist that is recording these songs. This is definitely a better performance than her Oscar nominated role in a very mediocre and totally overrated film called "Tumbleweeds". She adds intelligence and strength to her character and its vital to the film. The things that I feel hurt the film are the romance between Lily and Tom (Aidan Quinn). It comes out of left field and is never really believable. And then their is the lesbian romance between Lilys sister and her coworker who are teachers. This is where the film wanders off into another direction and the main focus of the film gets lost. We really didn't need these contrivances added to the story and it hurts the film. Not a bad film but the story and focus seem to go into another area. Too bad!

Finally, a movie that does not insult your intelligence. No anorexic Barbie dolls, or exploding cars, so beloved by the 100% red blooded American male. Aidan Quinn, who I could "take or leave" in previous performances delivers a masterful performance, in my opinion. Janet Mcteer whose character is the "glue", holding the story together, also justifies her selection for this role. But the "revelation" of the film, is the performance of Pat Carroll as Viney Butler. If this isn't Academy Award level acting then I haven't learned anything in over fifty years of filmgoing. The only way I remember her, is as a sometime guest on the Jack Paar show. I have not seen her act ever. I had no idea I was watching Pat Carroll untill I glanced at the box the video came in. I was incredulous! Completely gone was any characteristic of Pat Carroll, and in her place was this mountain woman, surviving for about seventy years in an enviornment that would give most of us nervous breakdowns. Pat, this role is truly your magnum opus! God bless you.

Beautiful music, and even more beautiful portrayal of a music-lover. The main character Lily's love oozes off the screen and shames everyone who's ever made a tape or CD music collection with far less effort and trial -- and persistence. No less beautiful is the love that catches fire between the leads, and where it takes them.

If you believe music, not to mention love, should be near the helm of your ship, you will savor the textures of this surprisingly fine home-made wine of a story. If you've also ever loved simple folk music, then that will be sinfully delicious icing on the cake. Hat's off to the crew for this very-obviously (and satisfyingly successful) labor of love.

This movie accomplishes many things within the premise of "Songcatching". The movie exposes the hardships, ignorances, prejudices, resourcefulness, intelligence, commonsense and heart of the people who remained out of touch with "progress".

The movie has some graphic and controversial scenes; but the majority is appropriate for all ages.

The way the folk music is in-twined in the lives of the local people is magical and authentic. I wish a sound track was available with the full versions of the "collected" songs in the original voices of the actors, in the same simplistic way they were produced for the movie.

This is a movie I have enjoyed on many occasions and look forward to future viewings. I have purchased the DVD.

A simple story, beautifully filmed, is pretty much trashed by a pointless "in your face" lesbian relationship. That's not what the film is about. When the director strains to make the film "about" that, it loses its momentum and focus.

Nice try. Give it a 6. Could have been an 8 or 9.

I recently caught the tail-end of this on HBO and had to watch all of it on Netflix.

It is nearly mesmerizing. I think the only flaw I found with it was the beginning. I wanted a longer beginning, so that more contrast would become evident as the movie went on.

Having said that, Songcatcher is sweet and just a bit haunting.

Jane Adams steals this with a elegant and yearning performance. But the performances are all beautiful and slow as a massage without the meter running. I've always like Aidan Quinn and I love that Janet McTeer is not a Kewpie doll someone stuck into a serious film. She's a woman - just as there were once women in movies.

I recommend it highly.

"Songcatcher" is a fictional film that was based on the work of several researchers who studied and chronicled the music of Appalachia in the early 20th century. Professor Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) has come to spend time with her sister, Eleanor. And, when the Professor hears some of the local ballads, she realizes they are treasures...variations on old songs from England and thereabouts that were thought to be lost. So she spends much of the rest of the film gaining the trust of the locals as well as recording and writing down their songs for posterity as well as let outside folks know that there is great beauty and wisdom in the hills. This is complicated by Eleanor and her female lover...something many of the locals would not understand nor appreciate. How this ends up impacting the Professor's work is something you'll have to see...as well her relationship with a handsome local man (Aidan Quinn). And, the picture has a very interesting and unique view of early American feminism.

"Songcatcher" is an incredibly lovely film. The director really managed to convey a great sense of beauty throughout the movie. My only complaint, and it's really NOT a problem with the film itself is that some of the singing is quite beautiful...and some almost made my ears bleed.

By the way, I particularly liked seeing Pat Carroll in the film--she was excellent and she hasn't done a lot of film work in recent years (she's the voice of Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" by the way). Well worth seeing but NOT the sort of picture the average person would watch in the first place, though it does give you a deeper appreciation for the people of this part of America.

"Songcatcher" tells the story of an early 1900's musicologist who travels to the Smoky Mountains where she discovers indigenous mountain music and sets about to document it. A somewhat flawed telling of a solid but esoteric story built on a foundation of authentic mountain music, "Songcatcher", a film too much in tune with its feminine side, features good performances, a too delicate execution, and some wonderful hillbilly music. Not likely to have broad appeal and most likely to be appreciated by more mature females. (B-)

Songcatcher is a fantastic film about understanding culture and people throughout the beauty of music and the poetry of songs. Every beat and word represents something that in many ways is so personally related to people's lives, history and emotions.

This is the lovely story of Dr. Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) a preeminent teacher musician who impulsively decides to run to visit her sister at a struggling rural school in the Appalachia, right after being denied of an anticipated promotion where she teaches. Over there (in the mountains) she founds a new meaning to her life by finding love and discovering very culturally important Scott-Irish ballads that she might use to save her promotion.

The whole cast performances are awesome, especially Janet McTeer who comes back with another tremendous performance and Aidan Quinn who hasn't been this good so far.

Writer/director Maggie Greenwald gives us a very fresh and tender story that describes so well all characters, situations with the very real and touching concept of music.

Finally, but not the least, David Mansfield music is fantastic. He amazingly takes excellent care of every musical detail related to the lives of these beautiful characters.

Robinson Almanzar.

I liked everything about this movie except the way the screenplay was written. The writer included a hodgepodge of dramatic elements to make the story intriguing, but failed to arrange them in an interesting fashion. I was never drawn in to the story, so when the characters suffered I watched without interest. The acting was good, and I really appreciated the focus on cultural traditions. I wish there were more films like this one. The musical heritage receives proper treatment, and most of the music is sung by actors who are not professional musicians, giving it a feeling of authenticity. Watch this film if you have nothing better to do, but don't expect to pummeled by gut wrenching drama.

Like "The Commitments" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Songcatcher" focuses on music in a way that you shouldn't miss. It tells the story of musicologist Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) who travels to an isolated village in the Appalachians and gets to hear the music of the Scottish-Irish people there in the early 20th century. Can this really be the whole plot of a movie? When the movie has such great music, it definitely can. Because what Lily hears does many things: aside from just being great music, it shows how the people in this village may not be educated or anything like that - and could even be inbred - but they still have their culture. I definitely recommend this movie.

Also starring Aidan Quinn (happy birthday, Aidan!) and Emmy Rossum a few years before she played Sean Penn's daughter in "Mystic River".

A movie which shows the women being oppressed at every stage they are in, but still fighting back and striving for what they are entitled to despite of all the setbacks.

The music is really great too, but some people who don't like hillbilly music won't like the extent of the music in this movie.

I saw this film at the Sunday Mornings at The Charles film series in Baltimore. It moved me more than any film I saw this last series. I have to admit I come from some Appalachian roots on my dad's side, but only knew of the harshness, as the music wasn't played in our home. Growing up in the DC/Baltimore area we were the logical place for Bluegrass and so-called "mountain music" to migrate, and I've heard it for most of my life. I started listening to it more intently after being influenced by the late Ralph Rinzler, acclaimed musicologist and creator of the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife.

The film gets jump started by the knee-jerk reaction of an esteemed musicologist who was yet again turned down for tenure -- clearly based on her gender. Her life's work is the folk music of the British Isles and when her departure from academia takes her to her sister's school in western North Carolina she is immediately presented with "her" music in this "backwards" environment. Imagine her surprise. She then turns on her academic engines and decides to collect and publish this wondrous music of the Appalachians.

She is taken to "Songcatchers", or the people who are the preservers of this oral legacy, to learn the songs. It takes her some effort to win their trust, but she gets a recommendation from Pat Carroll's character which gets her through skeptical doors. It takes her a long time to be truly accepted into the community and finally as a "songcatcher" herself. There are about 20 songs performed and I felt they were the true foundation for the film. The drama is always invigorated by them.

Many reviews are critical of the stereotypical characters, but there actually were rich "do-gooders" who made public displays of "educating the mountain savages" and "evil" coal and lumber company operatives who swindled the illiterate landowners. This film's coal company character might seem oversimplified, but he also initiates the most riviting moment of the film when he starts singing "O Death", which is completed by the legendary Hazel Dickens. This moment brought tears to my eyes.

If I have a complaint about this film, it's a little too busy. It tries to deal with lesbianism, untrustworthy men, distrustful and violent mountain people, the harshness of the land and life, a male-dominated community and the music. A couple of these, perhaps the first two, could have been sacrificed to make the rest of the film stronger. This in no way makes the film weak, just that it has room to improve. The performances of Janet McTeer and Pat Carroll stand out, and Aiden Qiinn was good as the mountain man who "had seen the world". The musical performances of Emmy Rossum, Iris Dement and Hazel Dickens made my heart soar.

The film opens in Baltimore this week and I'll be there to see it again. The music is wonderful and worth the trip just for that. I only wish there was more of Emmy Rossum and the other music with that Appalachian "edge" on the soundtrack CD, as opposed to the more highly produced songs by more famous people, whose voices/characters did not appear in the film.

Well told, well directed and well acted story of Appalachian music and culture. Good portrayals by Janet McTeer and Aidan Quinn.

Rented this "sight unseen" because Aidan Q was on the cover and my sister & I were looking for an easy watch...we got so much more than expected! I found this movie unexpectedly delightful throughout - well written, well acted, and the music! Have always liked running across bluegrass & folk music, but had never been a "buff" before. I found the music (and the performances) simply astounding in its simplicity and the way its "natural history" was portrayed. The characters seemed authentic as well, and I loved the unabashedly unselfconscious singers. I actually went out the next day and found the soundtrack, which I hardly ever do, and some other older bluegrass CD's as well. A truly enjoyable film, especially suitable for lovers of the music & period. Gratitude to Ms. Greenwald & all involved!

This movie was a SLEEPER.

Set in the south and underlying theme is about how the coal companies took the land.

The music is so fantastic. It takes me back to my childhood in the south. Very realistic for the time period and the culture of the south of that time period. The drama is very realistic and may have been based on facts from that area of the country. Anyone interested in history of the south, the music that was brought to the United States with immigration, and the struggles of life will enjoy this.

Blues, Jazz, Rap & Rock& Roll fans, will enjoy the roots from which those sprang.

They are outlined very well in this video and music CD is also available somewhere.

Visually beautiful with some fine music, this film otherwise has a fairly trite made-for-TV quality. The romance between two characters, which spans a cultural and educational divide, is simply NOT plausible. Of course, from early on we knew our persnickety heroine would lighten up, win over the locals, and find true love, but that doesn't make it any less woeful that the movie had to take such completely expected turns. This film had lots of promise, which makes it more of a shame that the promise was unrealized. Perhaps a nice under-the-blanket on a cold night freebie on cable, but I certainly wouldn't recommend paid rental or purchase. I'm sure the soundtrack is wonderful, though.

Janet McTeer, recently so magnificent with Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs, shows her early talent as a professor of music who teaches and studies Appalachian music in the early 1900s. She travels throughout the rural mountains collecting folk songs.

Dr. Lily(McTeer) meets a war veteran musician, Tom Bledsoe(Aidan Quinn) and they begin an affair. The culture of the people soon clashes with the more open minded big city folk and events turn tragic. The music is great and so is the movie which features some excellent music, including a screen performance by folk singer Iris Dement, a little known and enormously talented artist.