- Actors: Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Garrison Keillor
- Directors: Robert Altman
- Writers: Garrison Keillor, Ken LaZebnik
- Producers: Bill Pohlad, David Levy, Fisher Stevens, Frederick W. Green, George Sheanshang
- Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: New Line Home Video
- DVD Release Date: 10 Oct 2006
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000H6SXYM
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 97,982 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
Robert Altman and Garrison Keillor combine reality and fantasy in this smooth, ebullient take on the long-running Prairie Home Companion radio show. Set during the show's fictitious last broadcast--the host station has been bought--the film has plenty of elements from the real PHC radiocasts, including a live audience and the sensational Shoe band. The onstage program is mostly music numbers, a beguiling mix of standards and old-style country. However, the show's usual comedy sketches are never presented, save for the commercial parodies--this may be a PHC show, but Lake Wobegone is never mentioned. Instead, the sketches are played out as backstage banter that feautres the Johnson Sisters (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin), a harried stage hand (Maya Rudolph), a former listener turned angel (Virginia Madsen), and Keillor himself (a crusty alter-ego named simply G.K.). A few characters from the real PHC are given life: the singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty and gumshoe Guy Noir are embodied by Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, and Kevin Kline, respectively. Old flames are fanned, stories are spun, new talents are found (Lindsay Lohan has a chance to shine as Streep's daughter) and everyone wonders if G.K. will do something to ebb the tide of cancellation (personified by Tommy Lee Jones as the corporate Axeman). All of the actors do right as singers, and seem to be having the time of their life. Keillor's screenplay is perfect fodder for Altman's usual brand of storytelling, as characters babble on with the camera picking them up often in mid-thought. The film appeared a few months after Altman received an honorary Oscar, and the director is still at the top of his game, creating this smile-inducing, song-filled time, ending with an ethereal last musical number. --Doug Thomas
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this film absolutely charming. It's whimsical and fairly slow-moving, but so many delightful things happen along the way that it hardly matters. The music hall is due to be closed down - it has outlived its time - and we witness its last evening. Various acts perform : Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin are the singing Johnson sisters (both excellent, and Streep a revelation as a Country-and-Western performer ; she is a real show-stopper), Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly a cowboy double-act with a penchant for blue jokes, very corny and very funny. Kevin Kline is Guy Noir, the security man, a third rate private eye, and Virginia Madsen appears mysteriously in a white coat - she represents the end, closure, death itself. Holding it all together is Garrison Keillor, himself a first-rate performer and very good in this film, and the film does have structure as the show awaits the arrival of Tommy Lee Jones, who will close it down ; the consequences are to some extent unexpected. It was Robert Altman's last film and bears many of his hallmarks, the camera meandering around the characters and observing their performances, their conversations, their private behaviour. It ends in a diner, an effectively bitter-sweet ending which leaves at least one question unanswered. I enjoyed every minute of the film, and it's nice to have it on DVD with quite a few extras - commentary by Kline and Altman, how the film was made, interviews and deleted scenes.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
End-of-an-era stuff: this is the quirky Robert Altman fictionalisation of Garrison Keillor's regular old-timey family radio show. To provide a story-backbone the film imagines the radio-show coming to a sudden end as the station is sold and as a company `axeman' comes to clear-out the old stuff. The premise is eccentric and the delivery heartfelt, personal and hugely affecting. Death and afterlife are explored in a gentle manner that gains additional significance given that we already know Altman died shortly after completion. This is a special movie.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A wonderfully romantic portrayal of a dinosaur of a show - a pre-television radio variety - stumbling to a dignified extinction. Admire GK's unflappable professionalism (and the real Keillor's triumph), laugh at the advertising and feel strangely warm inside. A worthy close to Altman's career; it's as if the angel comes for him.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Visual Treat.
Purchased as a Christmas present for my niece who thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope to borrow it and confirm her opinion.
Published 4 months ago by Mr. W. Kozlowski
Fabulous
We have watched this many times, and also enjoy the extra features - in particular the music section. Read more
Published 6 months ago by kt
Altman at his best
This film is a joy from beginning to end and is the least cynical of Robert Altman's work. There are some really fine performances and Kevin Kline is particularly good. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rowan
Weird & Wonderful
If you have half a heart you will thoroughly enjoy this film. I'm a Garrison Keillor fan so I may be biased. I thought the songs, timing (choreography? Read more
Published 15 months ago by John Johnson
Easily amused?
My husband liked this a lot - I thought it was cheesy, I'm not keen on Meryl Streep at the best of times anyway. I'm more of a Jane Austen fan myself.
Published 17 months ago by Phredd
Must see radio
Watching this movie if you are not acquainted with the radio show on N.P.R. (the only broadcaster who could afford to inflict this show on the listening public)is like eating... Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. P. J. Kochen
Something light on the heart
A most delightful place to go. I remember radio shows many years ago just like this one. Well and truly written by the main man, and a peaceful and uplifting set of performers who... Read more
Published 23 months ago by G. Campbell
Truly One of My Favourites of All Time
I always love Robert Altman, and I'm a huge Country fan (although to be fair the music is not all country - a bit of blues and gospel not to mention singing adverts! Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2010 by Dick Pearson
Hilarious and touching as hardly anything else
I totally loved "Mean Girls" and began to look for other Lindsay Lohan's movies. That's how I ended up watching this one. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by Printul Noptilor
This must be one of Altman's best as well as his last
Meryl Streep's voice a revelation, Kevin Kline gives a superb performance, the singing cowboys great fun, Tommy Lee Jones a nasty, "nasty" beautifully edited.
Published on 26 Sep 2009 by Margaret Trevithick
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