Well, I wanted to like it. You know I did.
Just too many misfires though -- possibly editing had a big part to do with it. It wasn't a disaster or anything but it won't win any awards for anybody either.
First off, Streep isn't a great singer. She's okay -- she sang before in some movie, didn't she? -- and when she stays within her range she's not bad. As a bluesy bar band singer she would have done alright. But she had to push it.
Second, she may have "learned guitar" for the movie but I believe there are more than two hand positions to playing a guitar.
Third, her band has a residency in some cheesy little bar in Tarzana CA. That's hardly the big time, that's hardly a reason for her to abandon her children, that's hardly enough to explain her "career." I thought she was going to be some big touring band with extensive schedules and overseas gigs. Maybe Streep couldn't pull that off?
Her band -- with Rick Springfield -- was good but nothing special. They played mostly covers, like a typical bar band. They fit well with her level of expertise, i.e. semi-pro. Although a couple well-known musicians (Bernie Worrell) helped with the music they weren't in the band. Why not?
There was a whole politics sub-plot (she voted for George W. Bush -- twice!) which was mentioned and I thought it would turn into something... But it didn't. Victim of editing?
There was a whole "my son is gay" sub-plot which was mentioned but never developed. Another victim of editing?
Streep's daughter was good but kinda disappeared from the last half of the movie. Where'd she go?
Streep obviously based her character on Bonnie Raitt -- copied her hair, mannerisms, stage patter, clothing -- but never discovered the stage presence that makes Bonnie such a great live performer.
Streep wore the same make-up (overdone), the same hairdo (overdone) and the same jewelry (overdone) in every scene. I kept expecting her to pull a Jack Black (in High Fidelity) and completely change her look and surprise everyone. She didn't.
And Streep, I'm sorry to say, looks her age at 66. She's about a decade or two too late to pull off this character. Her sons in the movie are what, twenty?
The ending (plot killer, her band plays her other son's wedding) brings everyone together in love peace and harmony. I don't buy they'd never heard her play before, or that a Bruce Springsteen song has such magical powers.
In short, it was a made-for-TV after school movie with big screen aspirations.
Home 
