Get Low (2009) User Reviews

Duvall at the Height of his power in GET LOW

[seaview1 · 7/10 · 18 September 2010]

Robert Duvall is one of the best American actors of the past half century. Witness his roles in To Kill a Mockingbird, The Godfather I and II, The Great Santini, Apocalypse Now, Open Range, and a full TV resume including Lonesome Dove. In Get Low, he gives a measured, understated performance as a mysterious, old hermit who makes an unusual, life changing decision. This independent film is deceptively simple and honest. Yet it is done extremely well and leaves a deep feeling about life's regrets.

After the brief image of a house burning down, we flash forward to a rural setting in the 1930's to see an old home inhabited by a reclusive, elderly man, Felix Bush (Duvall), whose disheveled appearance and reputation are the stuff of rumor and legend. Are the stories about him true? Is he a killer? Haunted by visions of a woman, he decides to arrange his own funeral before his actual demise. The funeral home is run by Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) and his loyal assistant, Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black). Felix wants to invite everyone who has a story about him to tell. He sweetens the pot by offering to raffle off his vast acreage of property. He also runs into an old acquaintance, Mattie (Sissy Spacek), who has strong ties to him from way back. He later pays a visit to a preacher in another town in hopes of having him conduct the eulogy. As the plot thickens, we find that Felix is hiding a painful secret that will have the town reexamining its prejudices and assumptions about a tortured soul who is struggling for his own redemption before it's too late.

Novice director Aaron Schneider, whose previous credits were as a cinematographer of various TV shows and movies, does a solid job with a modest budget and a lean story and script by Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell.

It's nice to see veteran actors like Duvall, Spacek, and Murray play older characters, wrinkles and all with enthusiasm and conviction. Duvall does a splendid job of presenting a cipher of a man whose words are sparse and direct and slowly, as the story develops, begins to open up to reveal a complex person replete with feelings of guilt. There are reasons perhaps for why he is the way he is. Duvall is destined for an Oscar nomination, and Spacek arguably deserves a nod for strong support. Bill Murray as the funeral director does a convincing job as a businessman who isn't quite a villain or hero. He is carving a nice career niche as a dramatic character actor (aside from being a comedic superstar).

The film successfully evokes the period of depression era, small town USA. There are few items to quibble about; however, a violent break in at the funeral home doesn't really forward the plot and is never fully explained.

There are similarities in Felix and the noble character in The Ballad of Cable Hogue. In both films, the protagonist is an aged, stubborn loner, and in the end, as his life is in its twilight, the truth sets him free. Perhaps the lesson here is that each person has a story, and some of the stories are not always evident. With Get Low, we get to see the bittersweet tale of a broken heart. Your heart will be moved too.

Hermit money

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 22 August 2010]

Greetings again from the darkness. I am not familiar with director Aaron Schneider, who apparently has done mostly cinematography work on TV for the past 10 years. He must feel like a lottery winner getting to direct his first feature film and having a cast with Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek.

This is a very odd film centered on the story of 1930's Tennessee backwoods recluse Felix Bush, played exceedingly (no surprise) well by Robert Duvall. We learn - slowly - that Felix has been in a self-imposed exile carrying enormous guilt over an incident from 40 years prior. The wonderful thing is that it takes us just about the entire film to discover what caused this guilt and how Felix has dealt with it.

Over that 40 years, the legend of old man Bush has grown with the town people. It is approaching Tall Tale status when he whips up on a local wise-ass on one of his rare visits to town. When Felix realizes that stories have been concocted about him over the years, he heads to local funeral home to arrange a "funeral party" where everyone can come and tell their stories. The local mortician is played by Bill Murray and I can best describe his personality as eager opportunist.

While this appears to be a slow moving story, it really isn't. The real motivation for the party, a reconnection with the past and a cleansing confession all play a part in this fine story. Sissy Spacek plays a painful link to Felix' past, as well as a key to this latest/last event.

Three excellent performances by Duvall, Spacek and Bill Cobbs really make this one work. Bill Murray and Lucas Black hold up their end by supplying a bit of humor and purity, respectively, though the story really belongs to Duvall. His ability to convey emotion with a grunt or facial expression is just amazing to watch.

My only real complaint with the film is that it lasted about 2 minutes too long. The perfect ending had occurred and then we are dealt one final, seemingly forced scene. A minor quibble with a film that kept me fully engaged.

A stylized drama - part comedy, part psychology

[napierslogs · 8/10 · 20 August 2010]

"Get Low" is, in part, considered a psychological drama, it's also one of those films that can be classified as almost anything because the actors are able to add so many layers of interest with intrigue and comedy.

Starring an almost unrecognizably old Robert Duvall and a Jarmusch-styled Bill Murray, respectively, as a hermit wanting to host his own funeral and a funeral home director wanting his business. On the surface, it's a very slow drama because that is essentially all that happens, Murray helps Duvall plan his own funeral. But we are saved from a tedious drama by the actors' comedic timings. There's a lot of dry humour that I found myself laughing out-loud many times. The significance of the film is the psychology in its heart. Throughout, Duvall drops hints as to what his character is all about. You find yourself thinking about who he really is, and what he really means with every line he says. Robert Duvall just may be the best subtle actor.

"Get Low" is very stylized. Set in the 1920s, the director and cinematographer paid attention to the lighting, casting shadows where they wanted them, providing a dark atmosphere when needed to echo the times of the depression-era. I'll also call the humour stylized, it's dry, and it can take you a minute to make sure you got it right.

The one down-side is that the film-makers may have made it a bit too artsy and not accessible enough, because otherwise this could be up for every major award. At least we can rest assured that the Academy knows where to find Mr. Duvall.

Funeral for a Man Alive

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 27 February 2011]

In the 30's, in Caleb County, the loathed hermit Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) offers a large amount of money to the local Rev. Gus Horton (Gerald McRaney) to organize his funeral, but the preacher refuses the request. The family man Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black) overhears the conversation and talks to his boss Frank Quinn (Bill Murray); they visit Felix and offer the service of the Quinn Funeral Home. Felix requests a funeral party and invites anyone that has a story to tell about him. Further, he offers his three hundred acre land for US$ 5.00 a ticket to be disputed in a raffle. When Felix asks Buddy to drive him to Illinois to see Rev. Charlie Jackson (Bill Cobbs), Buddy learns that Felix has a painful secret and need the help of his friend to disclose it to the population.

"Get Low" has an interesting premise of a funeral for a man that is still alive in a good screenplay. The cast is excellent, with Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, Bill Murray, Bill Cobbs and Sissy Spacek. The reconstitution of the 30's is very careful in an excellent work of costumes and art direction. Unfortunately, the story is weak, and the revelation of Felix's secret that should be the climax of the film does not impact and neither justify the attitude of Felix Bush toward the locals nor his self-punishment. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Segredos de um Funeral" ("Secrets of a Funeral")

Great Performance To Bookend A Career

[Matt_Layden · 7/10 · 3 June 2010]

Felix Bush is a hermit, he lives all alone in the backwoods and he likes it that way. He has a sign that reads 'no trespassing', when someone trespasses, he puts up another sign 'no damn trespassing'. One day a priest arrives to inform him of a death, someone he knows. He then gets the idea to have a funeral party for himself, while he is still alive.

Saw an advanced screen of Get Low and if Robert Duvall were to stop acting now then he can be proud of his career. He surely will continue to act, because he's darn good at it, but with Get Low he manages to give a performance that is both emotional and real. The film is loosely based on real events and Duvall, along with the supporting cast are able to bring this dry period piece to a rather enjoyable close.

Get Low is something that many people will think is boring, and it is at parts. If it weren't for the performance from Duvall, then the film would be rated lower in my books. Bill Murray, Bill Cobbs and Lucas Black all share the screen time, but never do much to really hold a scene with Duvall. They are good, but Duvall simply outshines them all. One scene in particular comes to mind and it's the most interesting part of the film itself, near the end. Duvall gives a speech and it feels real, you feel the humanity in his performance and speech, as if someone's grandfather were telling them a story for the first time.

Lucas Black's role could have been played by anyone. Unfortunately for Black, he hasn't matured enough as an actor to make this role memorable or even important. I give him points for starring in a film like this, more attempts like this and he might be enjoyable. Bill Murray channels his Broken Flowers role here. He saunters along and throws in the occasional smart ass remark. Sissy Spacek plays an old friend of Felix, they have history together. Certain revelations are made in the film that put a heavy strain on their so called friendship.

The film at first is about this man who wants to throw a funeral party, but by the film's end, it seems as if it was never about that at all. The most important scene is indeed at his funeral party, but it's for reasons only revealed to the viewer at that particular moment. Felix has a secret, a reason he is all alone now. The film doesn't really try to get us to guess what it is or care about it until really late in the story.

Get Low looks great and is directed confidently. The film has a wooden golden glow to it. Very appropriate considering Felix is a carpenter of some sort. It plays well in the time line it's characters are in and never feels fake. There have been some talk about Oscars for this film. While I don't really think it has a chance in any department, the only one that wouldn't surprise me is Robert Duvall. His honest portrayal of a broken man that hates himself should be recognized. Get Low is something that not many film goers will appreciate, but those looking for good performances from veteran actors (Black being the exception) will find something to like in Get Low. I know I did.

Duvall deserved an Oscar

[treeline1 · 9 May 2011]

The drama opens in the thirties, deep in the Tennessee backwoods, where old Felix Bush has lived alone for 40 years. He's known as a crazy ol' hermit and people taunt him, but don't know him. Felix decides it's time to "get low" - that is, to get down to business, and his business is dying. He comes to town to arrange his own funeral party to be held while he's still alive, not because he likes parties, but because it's finally time to explain what happened forty years ago that drove him into solitude.

This little indie movie is a real gem. Robert Duvall (Felix) is given the opportunity to really show his acting skills. He plays a man of very few words but his wrinkled face and pained eyes reveal a world of hurt, guilt, and love. He's a wonder to watch, completely convincing and absolutely heartbreaking. Bill Murray brings humor to his role as the funeral director and Sissy Spacek is fine as Felix's old flame. The wonderful Bill Cobb is outstanding, as always, as the only person who knows Felix's secret. It takes a very long time for us to learn the secret and I almost become impatient, but the ending brought me to tears and I felt a real connection to Felix.

This is a well-written character study about a tortured man and the power of forgiveness. Highly recommended.

Good, but could have been even better

[grantss · 7/10 · 18 September 2019]

Good, but disappointing because it could have been better. The build up to the "revelation" was great - intriguing, interesting and entertaining, though at times it felt a bit padded. Then, when we get to the climactic scene, it was all so rushed, and the revelation wasn't anywhere near as moving or intriguing as I thought it would be. The pacing of the movie was quite uneven.

This said, there are some great emotional moments, as well as some good comedic moments, and the movie has its heart in the right place. It just needed a more finely-tuned plot and better pacing.

No problems with the performances though. Robert Duvall doesn't deliver anything less than good performances, and this is no exception. Good support from Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, Lucas Black and Bill Cobbs.

Go see it!

[Oroloro · 9/10 · 11 August 2010]

This is what movies are about:

It's a compelling story, flawless acting with spot-on casting choices, deftly directed, and with camera work supports the story with warm tones. I don't know of one person who has seen this and doesn't rave. The Oscar race begins here. It's wonderful to be rapt in a film that doesn't need explosions, chases or CGI to make the film work.

Every person involved in the making of this film is an artisan. If your a budding filmmaker, class is in session - a must see.

Duval and Spacek are in their prime - there's also a lesson here that youth and beauty are only skin deep... and talent grows with age.

Cute but unsatisfying

[CineCritic2517 · 6/10 · 16 February 2011]

Robert Duvall plays Felix Bush, a disgruntled old hermit who's kept out of public for the last 40 years, punishing himself for a crime he didn't commit. After 40 and some odd years he decides that the time has come for him to reveal his life's story and approaches funeral home director Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) to organize a funeral party in his name, whilst still being alive.

Cast and crew turn in a marvelous show, based on true events, about a guilt stricken old man, who wants to come clean in his advancing years. The movie is well paced and features some fine acting performances by Murray, Duvall and Spacek. The major downfall of the film however, is that the story doesn't provide enough gravitas to carry the 100 minutes to a satisfying degree. We never get to know much else about the old geezer and there is just nothing happening to really complicate matters as they move along.

I'd really like to give this movie extra credit for a job well done, but the truth is that there's far too little pay off at the end to warrant anything higher.

65/100

A Surprising Life Examined: The Angry Old Man

[rroberto18 · 8/10 · 7 October 2010]

While Hollywood has consistently examined the "angry young man," his older counterpart is normally portrayed by a character actor in a minor role. Robert Duvall is no stranger to portraying off-beat, aging male leads, but here he accepts the ultimate challenge -- drawing an audience in to examine the life of a self-made hermit with a widely reviled yet barely explained past.

Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, a dream team supporting cast, also portray vintage folk with secrets of their own. This partly frontier western, largely psychological mystery unravels slowly in scenes with little or no dialog. What dialog there is offers several levels of potential meaning through pregnant pauses, ill-defined sentence fragments and questions with no immediate answers.

The viewer either chooses to fill in the blanks by closely observing peripheral elements in each scene, or simply awaits a climax that ultimately explains everything. That scene never quite tells all, but intentionally and inventively so. It's the former viewer for whom this film has been so meticulously well-crafted to side-step the clearly declarative and ultimately obvious.

The score is a particularly captivating mix of period Americana and original music that resonates with the time and place -- even when performed by a Polish orchestra or under-appreciated U.S. folk/country performers of our own era.

In short, GET LOW is a niche film that quietly rewards a cinema-loving audience for investing its full attention. Leave your smart phone at home for the best multi-tasking experiences are built into the work itself. The 2009 copyright date indicates Sony Classics, after due deliberation, acquired a "hard sell" that other studios overlooked.

An early October Oscar season screening of this December U.S. release ended with much applause, atypical for guild audiences. Almost half even stayed through the credits, an indication that many involved in the film on all levels are worthy of name-recognition "for your consideration.

Slow-moving, but well-done

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 3 August 2018]

Don't watch Get Low when you're tired. It's a very slow-moving film, even though it's well-done. Robert Duvall does a great job playing the part of a mysterious hermit, and the supporting cast is also strong - it's just that the story drags. The trailer made this movie seem much more lighthearted than it actually is.

Great Actors Perform tell a Seious Humorous Story

[JustCuriosity · 9/10 · 18 March 2010]

Get Low and its cast were very well-received last night at Austin's Paramount Theatre as part of the SXSW Film Festival. This is the type of well-written, well-acted serious film that gets made all too rarely today. The excellent cast was led by three aging legends – the cantankerous Robert Duvall, the hilarious Bill Murray and elegant Sissy Spacek – all of whom attended the SXSW performance and answered questions. They have lost nothing with age. One-time child star Lucas Black has begun to come into his own as an actor as well. Get Low is an example of the type of wonderful film making that can be done with excellent actors working on a minimal budget. The period setting in depression era Tennessee was entirely believable. The film is both very funny and deeply moving.

Very loosely-based on real events, the film tells the story of a backwoods hermit – played by Duvall with grace and spirit – who decides to hold his own funeral while he is still alive. The story is about loneliness, guilt, redemption, forgiveness, love, and human mortality. There have been few recent films that explore such difficult territory and do so with such humanity, decency and humor. I hope that this film gets a theatrical release so that more people can enjoy this rare treat.

a fine showcase for Duvall, Murray & Spacek, if not all great

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 18 November 2014]

This dark-but-glad tale of an old, old man, Felix Bush (played by an old, old Robert Duvall) is a little too heartwarming when it should be really scathing, but such is its story about the quiet redemption wanted near the end. Basically a hermit, Duvall's character is a guy living in a self-made cabin over forty years and something of a kind of dark legend in a small town in the South (at least I think it's the South, whereabout Tennessee I think). He knows he's near the end, and he wants to prepare the funeral - rather, a funeral party. Money is no object, as long as a it can be pulled off by a Chicagoan funeral director played by a usually-perfect-deadpan Bill Murray (he has lines like "I sold 26 of the ugliest cars in the middle of December with the wind blowing so far up my ass I was farting snowflakes into July"), and his assistant (a grown-up Lucas Black). Meanwhile, Felix tries to reconcile with an old friend of his, Mattie (Sissy Spacek), and a dark secret from the past.

If you know how these movies go, you can guess when the secret is revealed... aw shucks, I'll say it, it's in the big final speech. The film works like that, giving us some very fine actors in some fine period clothes and fine production design, though only Duvall, and to a lesser extent Murray and Spacek, have full-formed people to work with. Felix does reveal himself to be more than craggily hermit, which is all well and good. It's only with the final climactic speech that the film really gets redeemed. There isn't much of a connection, er, catharsis, about Felix's relationship (or lack thereof) with the town itself, and only a little bit with a black preacher (very capable veteran character actor Bill Cobbs). It feels like most of the characters- Black's mostly- are there to serve whatever is going on with the lead figure, who, as played in his usual emotional tact and perfect way of saying every line like it matters life-or-death by Duvall.

It's a pleasant film, which is odd to note considering that it's about a man nearing the end of his days with a dark past unearthed and sins reopened (the opening shot, which is quite extraordinary with a house engulfed in flames and a figure running away from the house after jumping off the roof, is a key to this), but could have been more than just 'good' if it had more concern for its large ensemble. As a showcase for Duvall and Murray and Spacek it's worth recommending. As a really deep tale of loss and woe and death, there have been better.

Old Codger's big 'reveal' at end, disappoints

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 5 February 2011]

Get Low has an original premise based on a true story. Back in 1938 in Tennessee, a hermit, an old codger of sorts, decides to hold a funeral for himself while he's still alive. The hermit's motive for throwing the funeral is to finally hear all the bad things the townspeople have been saying about him, behind his back for years.

In the movie, the hermit is Felix Bush played by Robert Duvall. He's got a long beard and has numerous 'no trespassing' signs posted at the entrance to his property. When he strolls into town, he's always armed with a shotgun. A young bully tries to taunt Felix but he turns the tables on him by knocking him out. And oh yes—Felix has a dark secret that has been the source of internal torment since he was a young man.

Felix ends up conscripting funeral director, Frank Quinn, played by a rather tame Bill Murray, to organize the funeral party. He's got a young assistant, Buddy, who ends up looking after Felix. The plot complications involve Felix changing his mind about the funeral plans. At one point he calls the funeral off; later he nixes the idea of allowing the townspeople to bad mouth him at the funeral. Finally he decides to raffle off his property upon his death—the townspeople will pay a small fee and one lucky winner will be chosen at the festivities.

The problem with Get Low is that the main character never grows. Throughout the film, Duvall plays a man who's perennially mad at himself. There's a lot of time spent building up to Felix's big confession at the funeral. First, all we get are many hints. In Felix's heated confrontation with Mattie (Sissy Spacek), we learn she blames him for something he did involving her sister (there's a weak attempt at comedy when Felix has a heart attack and Mattie suddenly has to pull back walking out on him, instead, ending up having to attend to him as he's passed out on the floor). There's also the Reverend Charlie Jackson, a black preacher, who knows all about Felix's dark past, but won't tell (I wondered how there was not one racist comment directed toward the good Reverend, since this was supposed to be the Jim Crow South, during the 30s).

The entire Get Low storyline is predicated on Felix's confession at the funeral. Unfortunately, the confession proves much more sentimental than surprising. It seems that Felix got himself involved with Mattie's sister. One night he goes over to see her and discovers that the husband had attacked her with a hammer, knocking her out. The husband knocks over a lamp starting a fire, and Felix is unable to save the woman he loves. Just as we saw in the beginning of the film, Felix must jump out of the burning house and he's the only one to survive.

Felix's confession is cathartic and the tears flow. He's finally gotten it off his chest. Nonetheless, Felix's guilt trip feels misplaced. After all, it wasn't Felix who was actually responsible for his lover's death. Nonetheless, he beats himself up for years over the event. For a good part of the movie, Felix's histrionics are played out ad infinitum—yes we get the fact that he feels bad about what happened. But when the beans are finally spilled at the end, we feel cheated since something much more dramatic is expected.

Even Bill Murray disappoints here. Where was the irascible, con man when we needed him? Instead, Murray's Quinn opts out as a good guy who doesn't want to fleece anyone and ends up lending a helping hand to anyone he can.

If there's anything positive here, it's mostly in the set design and music. Like 'Bonnie and Clyde', 'Get Low' evokes the bygone era of the Great Depression and scores points mainly for atmosphere.

Strip away all the histrionics and one finds that Get Low is simply about a depressed guy who finally feels better after getting something off his chest that he's bottled up for years. Where's the drama in that? Mr. Duvall did not get the Oscar nomination he was looking for and rightly so. Given the long, awkward setup, a sentimental ending is the only place 'Get Low' can go!

A wonderful film, but then Duvall is in it, so that's a given.

[tsmith417 · 4 September 2011]

I almost didn't watch this film when I saw the title on the on-screen guide, and to be perfectly honest, after sitting thru the whole movie I'm still not sure what the title means, but boy, am I glad I didn't let the title stop me from seeing this wonderful story.

Robert Duvall plays the main character, Felix Bush, and I can't think of anyone who might have played it better. He is so honest, so real, so human, that the viewer can't help but be drawn into the movie.

Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray are the other two main characters and they are both charming and the chemistry between them and Duvall is almost palpable.

Lucas Black plays a young man who works for a funeral home, and his job is mostly to drive Duvall's character around, but don't think his part is small by any stretch of the imagination. I spent a lot of time watching young Mr. Black, who can't help but smile or laugh when Duvall or Murray is talking. Watch him especially in the scene where Duvall's character is buying a new suit of clothes; he laughs spontaneously at Duvall's comments to Murray and Murray's reaction. You just know this kid, who has grown up to be quite handsome by the way, used this movie as an exercise in learning and honing his craft by studying the experts.

I have to agree with another poster who said the movie should have ended two minutes sooner than it did, and I have a minor quibble in that Felix Bush's funeral guests were supposed to be all the people who had a story about him and we didn't get to hear even one of those stories from anyone, but all in all, this was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

Very good story but slow

[Tak005 · 7/10 · 17 September 2019]

This is a good almost great film. It's a good story and script. Well acted and filmed. It's biggest downfall is that it is slow. At the outset you almost feel compelled to give it away. However, persist and you will get drawn into the story. Which heads towards the disclosure of an unguessable dark secret at the end. Do not read any of the spoilers as they will definitely ruin the ending

Isn't Breathtaking or Intriguing but Good while it Lasts,

[lesleyharris30 · 6/10 · 23 January 2015]

Get Low is a decent movie with a well developed storyline and a talented cast.Its enjoyable,it is certainly nothing breathtaking that lifted my spirits after watching it or gave me any of those good feelings after watching a well written drama,I think it could have had more scenes where the characters get very serious and personal with each other,it certainly would have helped the performance,I felt like Robert Duvall easily could have gotten an Oscar nomination for this character that didn't seem easy to play,but the fact that there just aren't enough scenes were he can really embrace himself is a problem.Duvall and Bill Murray are certainly the right casting choice,they are both characters that didn't seem very easy to portray as likable,but getting those two to play them made it a safe bet,Felix is an arrogant man the minute we see him,but because he's played by such a beloved actor we give him the benefit of the doubt and the fact that they're played by two actors that can do that really helped this movie.Its nothing outstanding,I probably won't see it again,but Get Low is unique and enjoyable enough to for me to say that it is worth a watch if you ever see it on television,it's short,sweet and you won't regret it.

A mysterious hermit decides to host his own funeral,while people struggle to distinguish the truth about him.

Best Performance: Robert Duvall Worst Performance: Lucas Black

Get Low is a good time.

[lewiskendell · 7/10 · 24 February 2011]

"Many of you have heard stories about Mr. Bush. But today, I'm told that we're going to hear another kind of story. His."

Get Low (loosely based on actual events from the 1930's) is the story of an aging, reclusive hermit (Robert Duvall) with a dark secret in his past that he's held on to for years and years. The people of the nearby town have countless stories about what kind of a man he is and why he's lived alone for so long. Realizing that his death is probably coming sooner rather than later, the hermit decides to throw a funeral party while he's alive, and attempt to find the courage to tell his story and find forgiveness. 

I liked the movie. Duvall was great, as were his co-stars Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black. Get Low has an understated sense of humor that fits Duvall and Murray like a glove, but at heart, it's a story of guilt and redemption. The sets and costumes really take you back to the time period, and the area in Georgia where the movie was filmed was perfect for the story being told. Great music, too. 

I'd recommend Get Low to anyone who's even slightly interested.

A sublime Movie

[buzzbruin · 10/10 · 8 August 2010]

This as close to a perfect movie as you will see this year. A simple story about an old codger who wants something in the nature of an odd request. His odd deeds have made him a legend in the area in which he lives (think the deep south). He has been alone for 4o years living in a run-down cabin and chasing kids and people off his property with a gun. He is the quintessence of a deeply unhappy mournful cranky old man, and he is played by one the great actors of his generation Robert Duvall, joined by an outstanding cast--Bill Murray. Sisy Spacek and others. It deals with life (and death) memories of youth, and deep love between a man and a woman which has lasted a long time. I will not give you the plot, just ask you see this movie as soon as possible. Despite its shoestring budget, it is a GREAT film, written produced and acted by some of the greatest talents of our time. Mr Duvall is worth seeing in this tale, but the supporting cast makes it a superb experience. If you want see a great film crafted by genius, then I urge you not miss it!!

Some great acting...the story itself was just okay.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 22 July 2021]

"Get Low" is a film inspired by Felix Bushaloo "Uncle Bush" Breazeale. And, how close this film is to his later life is anyone's guess, as I could find nothing about the man on the Internet apart from his name and that this film was inspired by his funeral. But inspired is a loaded term....it can mean the story is close to the truth or has almost nothing to do with it!

After watching the movie, I was left totally impressed with all the acting and not nearly impressed by the story itself. As for the acting, you'd expect perfection from Robert Duvall, but pretty much everyone was exceptional in the film....and this says a lot about the quality of the director as well. As far as the story goes, I felt like there was a huge buildup until the big reveal...and the big reveal wasn't enough to satisfy me after such a long wait.

The story is set in the late 1930s in the rural South. Felix has been a nasty hermit for decades and folks are shocked when he comes to town....and even more shocked when he announces that he's planning a funeral BEFORE he dies...so he can attend as well and listen to everyone's stories about him. I could say more....but you should just see it.

Overall, this is a fine example of acting being even better than the story....and for the quality of the acting, that alone is reason enough to see the film.

By the way, this film does something that has become popular in modern films...showing someone throwing up in vivid detail. Why?! You can hear a person retching or see them from behind....but why this disgusting need to show vomit? I don't get it.

One of the best films of the year

[Evanmail-841-799521 · 9/10 · 10 September 2010]

A charming sleeper of a tale set in the 1930s. A reclusive hermit, the subject of mistrust and rumor by generations of local townsfolk, nearing the end of his life suddenly decides to throw himself a funeral party and invites the entire town. Superlative and nuanced performances are turned in by Robert Duvall, as the old man, Sissy Spacek, as a widowed former acquaintance, and Bill Murray, as the funeral director who agrees to organize the event. Fantastic supporting performances are also given by Lucas Black, as the Funeral director's more moral assistant, and Bill Cobbs, as the Reverend who comes to speak at the funeral. The director, Aaron Schneider, captures the period extremely well and the cinematography and musical score are wonderful. The movie handles tough subjects like death, regret, suspicion and guilt with wisdom and a gentle humor that allows the audience to take it all in like one big ice cream sundae. Bravo ! Go see it ! Tell your friends to go see it !!

Needed a stronger ending to polish it off.

[jamesjchapman-37903 · 7/10 · 13 October 2020]

I'd rather give it a six-and-a-half stars out of ten. This movie builds our perceptions of of its central protagonist character into the image of a really bad man, perhaps with a violent past who is now seeking redemption after decades of guilt finally overwhelm him. Polished performances from Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek and Bill Cobbs really deserved a better ending to go out on. But much of the film is spent creating an aura around Felix and his mysterious past. So when the finale draws us to a close we are given a rather empty vessel of a man, who really isn't guilty of much more than the average person today. Throughout the movie you do feel yourself asking questions about your own life; things you did wrong or could have done better. And how each of us come about asking for forgiveness and trying to let go of the past. I think to this extent, the movie is a success. We can all see maybe a little bit of Felix in our own selves. But Duvall was so good in this role, I had probably hoped for a Clint Eastwood style badass man, wanting to finally admit his "atrocities" committed during an angry, volatile youth on the run. It's nothing of the sort. And this was the let-down for me. It just left me empty at the end. The movie is however, based loosely on the life of a real person. And prior to watching the movie I was unaware of this fact. It may have helped infinitely to have read about the man, Felix Bushaloo "Uncle Bush" Breazeale, prior to seeing the film. A six-and-a-half from me.

An Underpublicized, Haunting Film

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 7 March 2011]

It's hard to classify this movie, so I'll just say it's a lot different from most fare you see at the theater these days.

What it offers up, I thought, was superb acting and cinematography. It's no surprise the acting is good when you have the likes of Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacey and Lucas Black. All of them are excellent.

This is so beautifully filmed you swear you are right in the middle of rural America in the 1930s. Shot-after-shot is a marvel. The story is slow but it should keep your interest as you wonder what "Felix Bush" (Duvall) is going to do at the end. You're never quite what he's going to say and do, at any time, actually, which keeps the story intriguing. I guess you could say that for anyone was had been a hermit for 40 years, living alone in the woods.

I suspect this film didn't get the publicity and acclaim it should have gotten, despite it's well-known cast. It's a "sleeper," and highly-recommended.

Duvall and Murray are Excellent, but "Get Low" gets slow

[mediumyale · 6/10 · 14 October 2010]

"Get Low" is a quiet and tender tale, which tries to be very moving, but it never reaches an adequate emotional level. The film is about a senile old man, marvelously portrayed by Robert Duvall, who wishes to arrange a party for his funeral while he's still alive. The only funeral parlor in this backwoods town during the depression era is owned by a business-hungry entrepreneur played by Bill Murray. Duvall and Murray try to set up a plan to get the entire town to celebrate this bizarre man's death.

What is it about Bill Murray and his ability to take a subtle, dramatic performance and still make it very humorous? He's the master at combining seriousness with deadpan humor, creating an altogether, original spin on every performance he's confronted with.

"Get Low" is very bittersweet, but at the same time, too restrained. Despite Duvall's bravo performance, I felt there wasn't enough room for the central character to grow. We are presented with this great, cynical character, who eventually finds redemption from his past sins, but I still didn't see why the entire town should care. Sure, I cared about the character, and so did the supporting players, but why invite an entire town to a funeral party if they seem not to really bother? Why confess to an array of acquaintances if they had little to do with his past sins?

While I was watching the film I couldn't help but notice how restrained the direction was. Every conversation was pieced together with a simple shot-reverse-shot, and the overall rhythm is dully consistent. I think once Duvall's character steps out of his shell a bit and we discover more about his back story, the film, in itself, needs to make a subtle shift in tone and rhythm. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, and the filmmakers do a great job recreating the depression era, but I felt I needed something more to perceive in accordance to the film's visual grammar. Please, change up the camera setup, or hold onto the master shot, or get rid of any "safety" cutaways. I understand that the minimal approach to filmmaking keeps the focus on the performances, but personally, I think it should enhance the performances, which it didn't.

"Get Low" has moments of heart, humor, and sadness, but it never dares to be anything original, despite the original premise. As a result, I can't say I cared too much about the protagonist nor wish to ever feel the need to be a part of his death. If you want to enjoy the all-encompassing performances, it's worth checking out. However, I usually look for more than a dynamite cast.

Hoodwinked by IMDb ratings... again.

[bexandbarn · 3/10 · 2 May 2011]

With over 5,000 ratings and an overall rating of 7.2 here on IMDb, at the moment of writing, one would think this is going to be a good film. Normally, to get over 7.0 on this website is quite an achievement and demands attention. The only genre which doesn't do well on IMDb and is never a fair reflection of the quality of the film is 'Horror'. Anyway, this movie is labeled as being 'drama' and 'mystery'. For the latter, I would expect some tension and a bit of suspense. I am mistaken in regards to this film.

Firstly, a great performance by Duvall,and Murphy is competent as usual. The problem is that this film is such a slow pace and after the first 20 minutes you suspect where it is going. And it goes there, at an inexorable and tedious pace.

So, this review doesn't really contain spoilers because anyone with a brain will know immediately what is going to happen. And in a nutshell... Duvall is portrayed as a bad man but the audience don't know what he has done, although the way it is played you'd think he'd killed and eaten several children. As the movie drags on you realize that the denouement is going to be him opening his heart and telling an audience of doubters that actually - he did nothing wrong at all and his only motivation was 'love'. Yes - it slowly turns from a story of intrigue to one of sickly sentimentality, with the final shot of the film enough to make one vomit all over one's t-shirt.

It's a shame, as Duvall is great, but the lack of pace and the heaping on of the sugar does not suggest 'drama' or 'mystery' to me.

An extra note: Spacek is terrible. She has one expression throughout. Maybe all that chicken blood she endured in Carrie hampered her ability to act for the rest of her career.