Country Strong (2010) User Reviews (124)

"Country Strong" Plays Both Kinds of Music - Country and Western

[jgregg42 · 6/10 · 7 January 2011]

What do I know about country music? I own a few Johnny Cash albums. I never jumped on the Billy Ray Cyrus bandwagon. I never tried to impress a girl by pretending Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift is my type of music, and I can honestly say I have never participated in a line dance. So, what was I doing at a screening of "Country Strong?" Maybe it was because I knew that this genre of music has millions of fans worldwide and a long history going back several decades. With that extensive history, the music and the performers have a chivalrous quality.

The film begins with Beau Hutton (played by Garrett Hedlund) and Kelly Canter (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) both in an alcohol rehab facility. Kelly was once a six-time Grammy winner in this fictional country world. It is implied that something awful happened in Dallas due to her drinking problem and that is why she is in rehab now. "Dallas" soon becomes code for "rock bottom" throughout the story. Beau works at the rehab facility as Kelly's sponsor (a sponsor who drinks, but her sponsor none the less) and is also a country music singer.

Kelly's husband/ manager (who is about 20 percent husband and 80 percent manager) James Canter (played by Tim McGraw) comes to pick up Kelly from rehab. Instantly there is tension between James and Beau. McGraw does a great job of playing the reserved yet highly focused and determined manager of Kelly's career. James pulls Kelly out of rehab early to reboot her career. It was never stated that he was doing this for money. The underlying issues of James have something to do more with money than with fame.

James recruits a young beauty queen, Chiles Stanton (played by Leighton Meester) to open for Kelly's comeback tour. Again there is tension between James and Beau. Beau doesn't want to open for Kelly; he wants to stay true to the music by playing in the honky tonk bars and not do it for the money. How noble.

Beau also has an instant love/ hate with Chiles and sees right through her phoniness. Beau and Chiles represent the two sub genres of country music. Beau wants to have a good time singing country tunes while Chiles wants the pop stardom and to sing songs that have titles like rides at Disneyland (that was a joke from the movie).

Kelly's first show is a disaster. An event from her past (yep, you guessed it, Dallas) comes back to rattle her and she goes back to drinking. James graciously forces Kelly onto stage where she has a breakdown. For much of the film there was a series of relapses for Kelly followed by fits of her crying followed by instantaneous sobriety. I hope the studio was paying Paltrow by the tear drop; she would have made millions off that deal alone.

The story goes from a love triangle to pretty much a love rectangle between the four main characters. We move into a series of romances on the tour between three of the stars. Beau wants Kelly. Kelly wants Beau, her husband and her booze. Chiles only wants Beau. Then Beau wants Chiles. James really just wants to be left alone while he works on his business deals.

The story finally climaxes to Kelly's big finale in Dallas (yes, the same "Dallas" as before) where all three of the top stars give great performances. To add a the dramatic element, before each musician gives their superb concerts they have one-on-one heart-to-heart talks in the dressing rooms letting each other know how they feel about each other.

Should you see this movie? Maybe, if you are a fan of country music you might appreciate it a little more than I did. If you are a casual listener, there might not be enough to hold your attention. It did give a great view of what goes on behind the scenes of the music industry. The performances and singing by the cast were amazing (McGraw, the only real country music singer in the film, doesn't sing a single note). The ending was unique because it was something new to this type of film. It does end like an old country song.

Not terrible but not good.

[genesaugey · 5/10 · 9 January 2011]

As a relatively new fan of country music, I must say I was disappointed in this movie. It had its moments, but overall I cannot recommend it. The clumsy, disconnected screenplay was probably the worst aspect of the film as it gave the actors little to work with. There didn't seem to be much continuity to the film, but just a bunch of scenes thrown together. Aside from her singing the title song, there was nothing about the main character (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) that was remotely strong, and the ending was hardly inspiring in that regard. I cringed through the first half of the movie, which seemed to go overboard in portraying her flaws and failures, and wondered how much lower she would get before she turned things around. It was quite depressing, with no "payoff" at the end to make it worthwhile.

What the movie does have is some pretty good music. Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund, and Leighton Meester all sang quite well and almost made this movie worth seeing. Hedlund gave the best acting performance, and Meester wasn't bad. But I was quite disappointed in Tim McGraw's effort and feel it was the weakest of his budding career. I don't know if it was because he was playing an insensitive jerk as opposed to the nice guys of his previous roles, but he seemed strained and unnatural. And as well as Paltrow sang, and as much as I have enjoyed previous work by her, she was unconvincing in her portrayal of a country superstar (limited in part by the poor script, as noted earlier). The charisma just wasn't there.

Seeing a movie like this makes me appreciate well-written and well-acted movies all the more. They have a unifying theme that takes you somewhere and ties things together at the end (unless, of course, there is to be a sequel). "Country Strong" just didn't have what it takes, but ending up looking more like a direct-to-video film. It should have been titled "Country Pathetic."

Not a bad movie....not a great movie....some good songs

[ris1435 · 6/10 · 7 January 2011]

This is a decent movie but not one that I loved. The singing in the movie is top notch except for 1 or 2 of Paltrow's songs which were just okay. These are some seriously talented people. Huge surprise that Leighton Meester is a terrific singer. You might know her from Gossip Girl.

You probably already know the synopsis -- alcoholic singer goes back on the road to try and reclaim her past star status pushed along by her manager/husband. She bonds with a young male singer/guitar player who she brings along on her mini-tour who, despite the best of intentions, can't quite pull her out of her addictive cycle. Leighton Meester plays a very sympathetic and likable character who is just trying to live her dream...she's brought along on the tour by the husband/manager.

Overall, it was a depressing movie....to see someone battling addiction and how it eventually wears down the people around them to the point where they look like they are nasty (poor McGraw) when in reality they are just tired of the cycle of self-destruction.

What was entertaining and enjoyable about the movie was the songs and the concert scenes. It was a nice movie to go see on a snowy night....doubtful that I would rent it once it became available or buy it on DVD...which is kind of the benchmark for me on what is a good movie.

You won't waste your money seeing it but you'll probably wish you'd seen it at a reduced price or at the matinée if you paid full price.

I have only 1 complaint

[stevenball2 · 20 August 2011]

Tim McGraw doesn't sing in the movie. He and Gwyneth sing a duet but it is played over the credits. Tim's acting continues to improve. He is obviously ready for starring roles. Maybe a Western? The real surprise is Garrett Hedlund who all but steals the movie. He has a terrific baritone & should definitely do an album. Either a cover album or a CD of original music. Leighton Meester also does well in a supporting role. Ms. Paltrow delivers a fully realized performance as a country Judy Garland type. Robert Altman has already covered much of this territory in his masterpiece Nashville which contains a character based loosely on Loretta Lynn. Country Strong is a more updated version. The soundtrack is excellent.

A Great Story Of How One Should Never Give Up Hope Even Through Rough Patches

[eric262003 · 7/10 · 26 July 2011]

If you're finding a grim exploration or a deeply motivated emotional roller coaster ride with scintillating dialogue, then keep looking because you will not find it in "Country Strong". However, you might find the performances flow naturally almost unscripted subliminal as the story bears no shame in exhibiting country music as a narrative to an all too familiar story and it's okay to feel as you please instead of keeping it bottled inside of you. You should get a charge out of "Country Strong".

The film successfully manages what it intentions were all along and nothing more. It is a country music movie, a story of overcoming one's endless array of tribulations as they embark on a path of self-discovery by not letting any roadblock's get in their way or just simply sink on their own. The movie deserves credit by creating a truthful story because we've faced these issues at one point in our lives finding what we really want and who we are as a person. And of course, if lady luck should approach you, a romantic relationship may not be too far along the way. The continual word of optimism spreads in an unabashed perspective and even when a grey cloud places itself above our heads, the love in one's heart will never fade out.

The critics ostracized the film regarding mostly to the poorly development of the principal leads. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Kelly Canter who has turned to alcohol as a ways of forgetting about her troubled past and her loveless marriage. While happening she successfully rises to the top of the stage she once performed in and fell off and had a miscarriage because she was drunk. The final scenes demonstrate the theory that it's impossible to forget the past and some past damages could never be repaired. Tim McGraw plays Kelly's manager/husband James Canter who's very passive about his wife's alcoholic binge. Kelly's audience doesn't know what she's going through very much like her hubby who turns a blind eye on her problems. Garrett Hedlund stars as Beau Hutton a rising young talent on the country scene is on the path to greatness by observing what it has done for Kelly and by maintaining his faithfulness towards his lover Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) and to continue his success performing in dance halls over crowded stadiums.

Sure the back story of Kelly's alcoholic frenzy is never properly executed or her distant relationship with James, it doesn't lose it's audience the thematic intentions or its respect in being a country music movie. There's even a point that Beau refers to Kelly as the token truthful soul of the bunch, until the end when we get a glimpse of what she's really like. With Tim McGraw's case, who was forced into fixing Kelly's problem in the climactic finale, when actually he's oblivious to what's transpiring around him to that he doesn't want to care about.

In the outer reaches of the spectrum, and to successfully keep their profiles low-key, Beau and Chiles pull that off subliminally. In that way they try to keep this movie geared to the country music genre of the film. Country music for centuries has successfully managed to come to grips exhibiting sentimental vibes towards its audience. That may sound clichéd, but this should come as no surprised. But the last scene will touch you as two of the main stars choose to take a backside of things over exceptional fame and that is something we could all praise to.

This is a more refreshing story because it simple without trying to be stupid. It's not afraid to pour its heart out to touch upon issues of one's struggles with fame, love co-existing between two people and still entertain you with great country songs. The message dictated here is don't give up on hope and choose love over fame anytime.

"Love and pain can't exist in the same place".

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 24 April 2011]

Country Strong casts Gwyneth Paltrow as a country music legend like Loretta Lynn, but who's had her problems and is substance abusing in the tradition of Judy Garland. Her husband and manager Tim McGraw is trying to get Paltorw established on a comeback tour, but he's also got eyes for Leighton Meester who is an eager singer/songwriter with a case of stage fright. Not that Paltrow is letting the grass grow under her feet, she's got big eyes for hunky Garrett Hedlund who is her opening act in the comeback tour.

So this happy bunch of people are all traveling through red state America trying to be as discreet as possible and not succeeding to terribly much. But all of them are concerned with Paltrow because she's the key to everyone's future. And she's really not wrapped too tight, having guilt pangs over a drunken fall off a stage which induced a miscarriage.

Of the quartet of stars only McGraw is a genuine country singer, but the others are all pretty good players and are the best country singers they can pretend to be. They all do their own music and convincingly.

Paltrow who's probably seen enough performers tobogganing on the downward slope of a career through friends and acquaintances that she soaked up their experiences like a sponge for her role. I do love her scene with Meester where she gives advice in the way that Ben Franklin dispensed it from Poor Richard's Almanac. Such important things as not depending too much on laxatives. At my age I can relate to that.

Garrett Hedlund as matured really nice from the callow roles he played like Patroclus in Troy or the youngest brother in Four Brothers. And he's not a bad country singer either.

The song Going Home got an Oscar nomination for Best Song in 2010. I think the future of musicals might just reside in Nashville. We will see more films like Country Strong with a country based musical score in the future.

Especially if you are a country music fan you will like Country Strong.

Can't really buy Paltrow as a singing star

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 20 October 2013]

Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a country music star with addiction problems. Her domineering husband manager James Canter (Tim McGraw) pulls her out of treatment early. They don't connect as a couple anymore. Beau Hutton (Garrett Hedlund) works at the rehab center. He befriends Kelly Canter as her sponsor and singing partner. Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) is a pretty young thing desperate to be a star.

I just can't buy Gwyneth Paltrow as a country music star. To me, that's not her persona she's built over the years. She's a hardcore NYer and the southern accent just sound false. That taints the movie for me. The whole role just felt wrong to me and her singing isn't good enough. Tim McGraw needs more acting power. He probably needs more menace or something. Garrett Hedlund is unknown to me but he does a good job. And the story is a functional melodrama about these four damaged souls. It's just watchable enough to barely recommend.

Movie of the 'Weak': Corn pone with a side helping of unsalted grits, overpowered with sticky sweet honey.

[spiritwriter · 1/10 · 27 August 2011]

A one-dimensional flat weak wannabe imitation/variation of the 1954 Judy Garland James Mason version of 'A Star is Born.' The only thing strong was the overpowering fake, exaggerated hick accent of the up and coming singer played by Hedlund. Judy Garland he ain't. The director is no George Cukor either.

If you want real melodrama with heart and flair, watch that or 'Imitation of Life'. Or something else directed by Douglas Sirk so at least the scenery being chewed by real actors (who knew what over the top 50s melodrama meant) is beautiful.

Hedlund's is the worst performance hands down. Not that there was much in the way of art/acting in the entire thing.

Talk about over-acting, one-note, stereotypical, superficial and clichéd. He should win a raspberry just for singing (and trying to act) with a truly awfully bad hick accent. At least Paltrow didn't overdo it (too much).

And the director responsible for this mess? Fifty classes at a serious film school to start, followed by internships with some director who has a soul. The ending should serve the whole film, not vice versa. Not that I would call this a film. Movie of the 'weak' back in the 70s maybe.

Okay: so some brief, entirely Minor, slimmest glimmers of a couple of highlighted songs that could have been promising (in someone else's hands) -- but alas, they too were sentimental, uni-dimensional and mawkish, not to mention repetitive. Not exactly original. And why not just name the Paltrow character 'Singer' instead of 'Canter'? Duh.

And 'gosh darn it, score some (negative) points fer makin' sure Hedlund gits thet exaggerated kuntry twang in thet thar sangin' so we alluns know he's a real down home feller.'

I just can't say enough bad things about this visionless wreck of a movie: truly a stinker.

A deep and terrific movie

[cwdub · 10/10 · 29 January 2011]

I just saw this movie today. I cannot understand why it was rated so poorly and it just shows that I am glad I don't listen to the critics. There are so many that don't like it because they compare it to past movies that are somewhat similar. I have seen very few movies like this especially ones that are based on country so I came in very unbiased. Just take the movie for what it is...on it's own...for a great script and story! The acting was sensational. The singing which was done by the actors themselves was fabulously passionate and real. Gwyneth, Garrett, and especially Leighton...WOW! The story line??? Big deal if it is "similar" to others. This movie seemed so very real to what it could actually be like. Gwyneth's acceptance to "be" the character she has to be was remarkable. She had humor...terrific talent and as a woman/wife who's husband had forgotten how to be a husband and partner (no offense Tim...you were great too)...she was passionate and playful yet sad and lost. Once again she showed how wonderful and talented an actress she really is.

Garrett and Leighton played their roles very professionally...very real and we need to see more of them.

I love this movie. It had a profound affect on me being a musician and someone who had felt the "loss of hope" the exact same way Kelly did in this movie.

If the critics hadn't beaten it up so much...this movie would have rocked at the box office! Top marks to all involved. Thank you for doing this!

Strong, but flawed

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 30 December 2011]

The performances song-wise are really good. Especially if you like Country music, you will find quite a lot, that you will enjoy about this movie. Unfortunately the stories don't seem to be as strong as they could be. It is decent all around and it flows with a nice pace. But that is just it, there are no highlights to speak of.

Having said that, the young talent at hand (the guy from Tron Legacy and Ms Meester) do their best. It's Gwyneth Paltrow though who steals the show. It's a cautionary tale in the end and it depends, if you are willing to listen to it and watch it. And to what degree you will get involved with the characters.

Pop country strong: an oxymoron

[holistic-5 · 2/10 · 26 March 2011]

This film is poor, but not awful. The acting is decent, but the storyline is unbelievable. Paltrow's character acts like a Johnny Cash type figure, with lots of flaws that disappear on stage. But what doesn't fit is her hard times with her painfully mainstream music. Any musician or artist in general would know that really good music/art comes from pain, and the music is far from good, it's POP. Maybe once, many years ago when mainstream country music was GOOD, it was pop(ular), and it featured many musicians who struggled with their past, with drugs and alcohol, with crime and alas, that's what made it good. This film paradoxically combines the darkness of country stars of old with the tepid music of Nashville country stars today. There goes any believability. No, this is a pop country music fan's fantasy film. SO if you're one of those, you'll like the movie on its mythological basis alone. If you're a fan of dark, edgy country in the "outlaw" or Alt-country veins, you'll see right through the film's fallacies before the trailer ends.

Country Strong: Is this movie country music fans have been waiting for?

[ghost_dog86 · 8/10 · 14 January 2011]

"Country Strong", a surprisingly good film (even if you live in California and don't happen to like country music). Starring Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man), Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl), "Country Strong" succeeds in doing exactly what it sets out to do; that is make a dramatic film about country music that is also entertaining. I know a lot of critics will not agree with me, but in the midst of the awards season this is the one film, not nominated for a big time award, that is worth spending your money on. Side Note: Oh, and if you're only reading this review to find out if Gwyneth Paltrow can sing, the answer is yes she can. But if you had seen "Duets", then you already knew that she could. Synopsis: A story that follows fallen country music superstar Kelly Canter (Paltrow) as she is released from rehab and attempts a comeback concert. There is also another, and all around better, storyline that follows the rise of two up and coming country music artists Beau Hutton and Chiles Stanton (Hedlund and Meester), as they try to find out what path to take through the harsh and unforgiving world of the country music industry. Yes, "Country Strong" may seem a bit to predictable for some and yes, it does lag a bit in the middle of the film (mostly pertaining to Paltrow's scenes), but it does redeem itself with a vengeance in the final 30 minutes of the film. The storyline is really well thought out, the character development here is potent and the acting (including the singing), for the most part, is excellent. Unequivocally the one actor to take note of in this film is Hedlund, who steals the show with his performance of a country boy/country music purist. His chemistry on screen with just about everyone including the microphone is so authentic, that whenever he is on-screen he literally makes the movie better. Any and all issues I have with this film surprisingly fall directly on the performance of Paltrow. She plays an aging alcoholic Country superstar with as much heart as she can muster, but overall she is sadly uninteresting to watch for most of the film. Final Thought: "Country Strong" is currently getting raked through the mud by critics for its simplistic storyline, but let me tell you this: anyone (and I mean anyone) who is a fan of Country music will undoubtedly love this film. And even if the Country twang is not your bang, this is a strong enough drama to keep you in your seat. This is no "Crazy Heart" (so no nominations to be found here), but "Country Strong" is still entertaining enough for me to strongly recommend.

Stronger than one might think

[hall895 · 7/10 · 7 November 2014]

Country Strong is not what it may seem. The way the movie was marketed may have led some to believe it was a story of a country star triumphing over her personal demons and fending off a younger rival. That sounds like it could be a pretty fun movie. But that's not what this movie really is. Country Strong is much more about those personal demons than it is about any fun. That makes it a much more downbeat, at times outright depressing, movie than you might have expected. That doesn't mean it is a bad movie, just a surprising one. How you react to those surprises will influence how you ultimately feel about the movie.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays Kelly Canter, the troubled country star. She's an alcoholic, she's popping pills, she's depressed, she's got anxiety issues and she's consumed by guilt over her role in a recent tragic event. She's certainly in no condition to be out on tour. But her husband James, who doubles as her manager, prematurely checks her out of rehab and puts her out on the road. Suffice to say the tour does not go smoothly. Kelly desperately needs someone to look after her and she insists that young Beau Hutton be on the tour as her opening act. Beau was an orderly at Kelly's rehab facility and he and Kelly became close. Really, really close if you catch my drift. Beau is a guy perfectly happy to play his music in dive bars in front of a few dozen people. But now he's the opening act for a superstar. Well one of the opening acts anyway. Kelly's husband has plucked young Chiles Stanton, a living, breathing country Barbie doll, from obscurity and brought her out on tour. His interest in her is clearly more than professional. So it's a very tangled web and that's even before the seemingly inevitable hooking up of Beau and Chiles. This tour is a mess on stage and off.

Country Strong has a pretty simple story but the melodrama is laid on pretty thick. It is a bit much at times. But whatever failings the story may have are mostly redeemed by a very good cast. Paltrow does an excellent job portraying a woman who is spiraling out of control. Your heart aches for Kelly as she is pushed into a spotlight she is not equipped to handle. Since it is James doing the pushing he is not going to come across as a very sympathetic character. But while you might not like the guy he is playing Tim McGraw does a very credible job in the part. Leighton Meester is very good as the ambitious, but rather naive, Chiles. As Chiles grows in confidence as the tour goes on we see a star blossoming before our eyes. But while the movie sets her up as Kelly's potential rival there is still a sweetness to Chiles even as she finds more success. Credit to Meester for creating such an embraceable character. The biggest standout in the cast is Garrett Hedlund playing Beau. The relationships Beau has with Kelly, with James, with Chiles are complicated to say the least. And in playing the role Hedlund weaves his way through those entanglements expertly. Beau is a guy who is so good at heart and as the movie goes on you realize it is really his story being told more than Kelly's. That makes Hedlund's performance critical and he meets the challenge.

The story is rather bleak but Country Strong does have its fun moments. The songs aren't irresistibly catchy but most of them are good enough, and lively enough, to bring a smile to your face. With Paltrow's character in such dire straits, and with country superstar McGraw playing a guy who doesn't actually sing, it is left mostly to Hedlund and Meester to carry the musical side of the movie. And they hold up very well. They never look or sound out of place up on stage. And Paltrow does get a moment or two. She maintains a prim, proper image, you don't really expect Gwyneth Paltrow to have a lot of honky-tonk in her. Can she cut loose and have some fun? Yes she can. Her most energetic number is entitled Shake That Thing and Paltrow indeed shakes that thing. So there is some fun to be had. But overall County Strong has a much more serious edge to it than you might expect. If you're looking for lighthearted fun you have definitely come to the wrong place. But ultimately the film succeeds, just maybe not in the way you expected it to. Its story is more powerful than you would have imagined, country strong indeed.

Country Weak.

[anaconda-40658 · 4/10 · 13 January 2016]

Country Strong (2010): Dir: Shana Feste / Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester, Marshall Chapman: Why this film is called Country Strong is a mystery because it is a total downward spiral that goes totally against the notion of surviving fame. Director Shana Feste also wrote the screenplay and it shows that writing is not her strong point. She opens the film effectively with Gwyneth Paltrow as Kelly Canter, country music icon released from rehab after a stint that caused her a miscarriage in Dallas. We know from the start that she will struggle with addiction during her comeback tour but it is the slap in the face conclusion that left viewers groaning. Is Canter's fate really the material that the title describes? Paltrow can sing and puts on a great Dallas concert but much of the film she is in agony, and her manager / husband played by Tim McGraw is a wealth seeking prude who never realizes his pig-headed mistake until it is too late. Together they make for one depressing couple to spend ninety plus minutes to watch. Then there is Garrett Hedlund as newcomer Beau who has sexual relations with Canter and a new performer Chiles Stanton. These relations bare no emotion and basically paint Beau as an unsympathetic caregiver. Only Leighton Meester as Chiles is remotely interesting as she struggles with stage fright then becomes a new sensation who is seemingly taught how to be level by sex banger Beau and drunk and destructive Canter. Technically well made film about the illusions of fame but the result is a film that is hardly strong. Score: 4 ½ / 10

The Last Call for Alcohol (spoilers)

[starryeydsurprize · 25 July 2011]

I'll be honest. I am NOT a country music fan. Nor am I a fan of country music movies, westerns, or anything that has cowboy boots in it. That being said, I just finished watching Country Strong and I have to readjust my views a bit. I still dislike westerns intensely but I now have a country music movie to add to my list of favorites. It could be the very pretty cast of actors, or it could be the engrossing storyline, or it just might be the music that had me swaying in my seat, whatever it was, I left the movie as a devoted fan.

This gripping movie is about a country megastar named Kelly Canter, played by the illustrious Gwyneth Paltrow and her rocky journey through the world of alcoholism. The movie boasts a well put-together cast, starring Tim McGraw as Kelly's husband/manager, James, Garrett Hedlund as her sponsor and opener, Beau Hutton, and Leighton Meester as the up and coming country singer, Chiles Stanton.

The movie starts out in a rinky-dink dance hall in Nashville, Tennessee. You can hear the gravelly voice of Beau Hutton telling a story about wanting to sing like Merle Haggard for his mom's benefit. She tells him that he sounds good but he's no Merle. Beau then launches into a Merle-esque song, Chances Are, and it was the first time that a country song actually made me swoon. Beau is a good ol' boy, wearing his stained and weathered cowboy hat and driving a rusted-out truck. It turns out; he is also Kelly Canter's sponsor in rehab.

Kelly's husband checks her out of rehab a month early, against Beau's better judgment. James believes that getting her "back on the horse," and touring again will get her healthy faster than being in a rehab center. James come across as money-hungry, however, throughout the movie we learn that he does love his wife and only wants the best for her. As Kelly's manager, he is in charge of finding new talent to open for Kelly. He goes to see a former beauty queen with a surprisingly good voice named Chiles Stanton.

Chiles is an extremely pretty, young girl with an exaggerated Texan accent. She wears too much make-up and has her hair full and curly. "I don't know what's bigger, the hair or the dress" is how the stage manager describes her. She seems very confident when you first meet her; however, as soon as she gets onstage, she freezes up. She is rescued valiantly by Beau Hutton, who was the performer before her. Chiles' fresh-faced look appeals to the audience once her stage fright is past. With her glittering outfit, high heels, and make-up, she truly looks like a country Barbie.

After James hears both Beau and Chiles singing, he decides to offer the opening acts to both of them. He also, reluctantly, wants Beau along to help him watch over Kelly. James recognizes that Kelly is going to need a lot of help while on the road. The scene where James asks Beau to tour with them demonstrates just how palpable the animosity is between the two men. The acrimony turns out to be precognizant of the situation because Beau and Kelly are indeed having an affair.

During the tour, we learn of the reason that Kelly is in rehab. Several months ago, in Dallas, Kelly was drunk onstage, tripped over a cable, and fell 10 feet off the stage. She was five months pregnant at the time and lost the baby, as a result of the fall. The guilt she feels over the incident keeps her drinking until rehab. James tries to love her in spite of the miscarriage, but you can feel the blame he places on her. There is a touching scene between James and Kelly where he says "The first time I heard you sing, I knew. I wasn't much of a church man, but I thought that must be what angels sound like. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven." You can sense just how much this couple has been through in their marriage.

The tour starts and stutters along with Beau and Chiles carrying the responsibility while Kelly is drinking herself from town to town. The depression is dragging Kelly down and she makes numerous mistakes. Beau and Chiles start to have feelings for each other because they are thrown together in so many scenes. They have a charming scene where they sing a duet together and just watching them on the big screen, you can feel the chemistry between them. The relationship between James and Kelly, however, is disintegrating bit by bit. You can see the strength and fortitude that Kelly has, even as her marriage and career are crumbling around her. She gears up to go back to Dallas, on a repeat tour, even though that was where she lost her baby and embarrassed herself earlier that year.

In Dallas, Kelly seems a different person. She is driven and confident. The loyalty of her fans seems to boost her esteem and she does what she can to stay sober. There is a scene before the concert between Beau and Chiles, where he informs her that he is leaving the show and heading to California. He asks Chiles to go with him and she is unable to give him the answer he wants. The disappointment on his face is touching.

Some critics may say that Country Strong is cheesy, clichéd, and predictable but I found that not to be true. I felt the desperation of Kelly's predicament and the doomed love of her marriage. I found the relationship between Beau and Chiles to be refreshing and romantic. And most of all, I found the music to be stirring and award-winning. Maybe it will never win an Oscar, but it's still two thumbs up from me!

Country Strong-Weak Film **1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 14 April 2012]

With its Marilyn Monroe like ending, "Country Strong" is rather a benign affair with Gwyneth Paltrow in the lead role, attempting a comeback after a disastrous tour in Dallas.

Even with her faithful manager-husband,Paltrow is unsteady and can't seem to get it all together until a visit to a clinic with a leukemia stricken youngster appeared to set her straight. After giving a great performance at Dallas, where she had bombed previously,Paltrow seemed to get it right only to fall victim to the pills again. Did she take too many by accident or was it a suicide attempt?

The film has that deep southern charm where the music emanates from. As is the case with films dealing with this kind of music, it is rather slow moving.

The young woman trying to make a name for herself and the rising male rock star both represent hope for the industry, but not for the film.

Good portrayal of music business. Bad portrayal of hero

[sttrhm · 7/10 · 23 July 2014]

This film is a fairly realistic portrayal of the life country stars face--whether you're the aging star trying to come back after crumbling under pressure, a rising star full of innocence and idealism with only a naive dream telling you what you're about to experience, a cynical streetwise veteran who has seen it all and who abhors the spotlight while still benefiting from it, or auxiliaries known as management who whore after the money and don't really have a clue about music or what their stars are going through. What I really don't like about this film is the way they make Beau out to be some kind of hero. He's a heartthrob for sure, with his white tooth smile and low timbre voice, but he's really a jerk. First of all, good AA sponsors NEVER get romantically involved with those they're sponsoring. That's an absolute capital offense in that circle, and this movie illustrates why. The recoverer is not strong enough to handle the vagaries of a new relationship and becomes weaker still if the sponsor later breaks it off. Second, he's getting involved with a married woman, and her husband seems to sense that he's more than just a sponsor right from the start. Finally, he takes up with her biggest fear--the up-and-comer that she sees replacing her. No wonder she saw her end and the need to exit. And if that wasn't bad enough, she had a so-called husband who hasn't quite forgiven her not only for their lost baby, and now suspects her affair (which is verified in the movie) but mostly for the botched Dallas concert which probably cost them oodles of $$$ that deep down he lusted after and now is trying to recover before she is really ready yet. Oh I know, he wants to get her back out before she's forgotten completely, but he withholds love, affection, and attention--denying her unconditional love and support she desperately needs right now. So she turns to Beau--who unfortunately seems to think that part of meaningful support takes place between the sheets. It's debatable if he withdraws because he truly thinks he shouldn't be doing this or if he's getting the hots for the New Young Girl. Either way he's screwed up and she paid the price, which he doesn't seem to realize his culpability for.

Strong? Not Exactly

[bob-rutzel-1 · 7/10 · 16 April 2011]

Country singer legend Kelly Cantor (Paltrow) comes out of rehab to resurrect her career.

It took almost the whole movie before we heard Paltrow sing. And, when she did there was no Aha, or WOW moment for me. She was okay, but the loud music and fans at the concert didn't really give me a chance to hear her pipes all that well. She was okay, but not as good as Reese Witherspoon in Walk The Line. Do you hear disappointment in me? They could have better shown Paltrow in a better light to showcase her singing. Didn't happen.

If the audience was treated to flashbacks of Paltrow as Kelly singing before rehab, it would have gone better for me. For most of the movie, I kept asking myself: when is she going to sing? That was what all the hype was all about, her singing. Okay, enough of this.

For most of the movie we had to take everyone's word for it that Kelly was a good country western singer, a legend so to speak. For most of the movie it was like Paltrow saying, "yeah, I can sing, but watch me act first." Had this been a true story, we could have forgiven that. Like I said flashbacks of Kelly singing would have gone a long way to liking this more. Okay, enough of this.

The real winners here are Beau (Hedlund) and Chiles (Meester). They were great and they did enough really good singing for me to enjoy the movie while waiting, waiting, waiting for Kelly (Paltrow) to sing. With these country western type movies, we get to hear the real country songs by pretty good singers and Hedlund and Meester are indeed that. I enjoyed them so much I looked forward to them singing and kind of hoped Kelly would return to rehab as she was a mess and didn't seem to want to help herself. For my money, Hedlund and Meester saved this effort when it should have been Paltrow.

Another winner: the band that played for Beau, Chiles and Kelly was excellent and we got the intended flavor of county western music. Great job.

The acting was good all around. Tim McGraw as Kelly's husband can quit his day job as he was more than good as the conflicted husband no longer in love with his wife. The script was suspect in many places, but the singing of Beau and Chiles had us forgiving that. They were that good. Many country western movies have the type of humor that makes fun of themselves, but that was not the case in here.

Here's the thing. We needed to hear Paltrow sing, but we had to wait until the end and then it wasn't WOW stuff. Another thing: We didn't care about Kelly because she didn't care. Another thing: We did care for Chiles as she was a struggling singer whose nervousness got to us. One more thing: we knew Beau would be okay as he was a confident person whose head was on straight. One last thing: this was okay, but not exactly country strong. Okay, enough of this.

Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: No.

Every Cliché a Country Music Movie can Have...

[dancinhomer2 · 3/10 · 1 September 2011]

... can be found in Country Strong. Every plot device has been done (and done better) in films you have seen a thousand times before. That alone doesn't necessarily make for a bad movie. Crazy Heart had nary an original idea in it, but it was still a great film.

This is the kind of movie you expect to see on the Lifetime Network. Lazy writing, competent-but-nothing-memorable acting and a generic soundtrack total a big "there's nothing THERE there!"

Paltrow tries gamely, bless her heart. She's an okay actress and has a decent singing voice, but still managed to be absolutely unconvincing in her role. You will never lose yourself watching this performance - you are acutely aware from start to finish that you're watching someone ACTING.

Sorry, folks, but I'm from Oklahoma and we know country music and the country music scene. This movie is the kind of movie that gets made by people who think they know what they're talking about, but you know better. I'd strongly recommend Crazy Heart over this nonsense.

Loved it! But I do love Country Music.

[scarlet918 · 8/10 · 8 January 2011]

I loved this movie. It wasn't what I expected at all, but I really enjoyed it and did tear up a couple of times. I have to say I am very surprised by the harsh reviews by critics and some of the users on here!

The movie is a bit too long at almost 2 hours. I think a couple of the acting scenes were repetitive, but I am glad they did not cut any of the music they had. There is a LOT of music but the actors all pull it off quite well, with some of the songs actually being recognizable as real country songs if you are familiar with the genre.

I must admit I am a huge country music fan and I like all country, not just the newer pop stuff. So take my review knowing that. However, I did take 3 people with me to the advance screening and 2 of them listen to NO country music. All 4 of us thought the movie was great. Three of us cried.

I think the previews are marketing the movie all wrong. It looks like it will be an uplifting film that shows us the bad stuff in the beginning, then maybe a bump or two, then everybody winds up happy and "Country Strong." This is not the case at all.

It is a sad look at addiction but I think more realistic than someone coming out of rehab and everything being sunshine and lollipops. The characters are all flawed, with perhaps Beau being the only one who comes out in a mostly positive light, but even he has his issues and is far from perfect.

It also looks like Gwyneth is the only lead in the previews, but all 4 major characters have quite a large amount of time on screen and I think Beau has the same (or maybe even more) screen time as Gwyneth. I had never heard of this actor (had no clue he has the lead in TRON) and I came home to look him up immediately because I thought surely he was a real up and coming country singer.

Gwyneth's voice is really good, and if Garrett or Leighton ever made a country album, I would buy it. Tim doesn't sing in the movie but has a song on the soundtrack, but that was the way he wanted it and I respect him for that. This was the first movie of Tim's where I did forget at least a couple of times that I was looking at "THE" Tim McGraw. He was fine in Blindside, but it was a small role.

If you have a passionate hatred for country, I do not think you will enjoy the movie because there is a lot of singing in it. However, you do not need to love country as I do to enjoy it. If you can so much as tolerate it or accept the singers as being talented, I think you'll be fine.

I plan to buy the soundtrack, but wish it had more from Garrett and Leighton because they each sang a lot more than 1 song in the movie!

Fine performances and great music make this well-worn plot worth seeing.

[manchee · 6/10 · 16 January 2011]

Gwyneth Paltrow's performance was superb as usual but I really was impressed by Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester. Hedlund played Beau Hutton who is every woman's dream--a hunk who cares more about the people in his life than his own fame and fortune. Meester plays Chiles Stanton, a beautiful and very talented singer who's career has suffered due to her serious insecurities. Together they have great chemistry and I found myself routing for them more than Kelly Canter. It was a pretty predictable plot and I'm getting a little tired of stories about actors coming our of rehab, but overall it was a very entertaining and enjoyable movie particularly if you like great country music.

Crap

[dansview · 4/10 · 4 April 2015]

I liked the opening.It showed a humble, scruffy young country singer playing a non-descript low-brow gig, then driving his old pick up truck, while changing into his uniform for his shift at a psychiatric hospital.

Oh jeez...Gwyneth Paltrow as a famous country singer? Give me a break. In fact, Gwyneth Paltrow as anything other than the untalented daughter of a Hollywood writer? Give me a break. I didn't buy it for a second.

Nothing against Tim McGraw, but one has to have more than a Southern accent to be an effective actor. What are his qualifications? He's awkward.

The best thing about this movie is Garrett Hedlund. He has charisma like a big movie star might. The music sucked and the plot was non-existent. But this actor kept me watching for about half the film, before I gave up.

Alcoholism is such a boring and clichéd plot device. The screw-up country star and the hungry up-and-coming, aspiring country singer theme is equally clichéd.

Show me something different. How about a country singer who wants to sing opera or funk? Or a country singer who wants to be a reporter, but can't break free from who they are? I don't see how anyone could actually believe that this sanctimonious, paint-by-numbers trash would entertain anyone. Yet plenty of reviewers here liked it. Go figure.

Great Film, Great Performances - Surprised at the low IMDb Rating?

[michaelgrantham · 9/10 · 14 April 2012]

Since I'm fond of good country music I thought I'd give this a try, despite not being very keen on Gwyneth Paltrow. However, in this movie she gives a storming performance as a famous country singer, gradually falling apart with depression and alcohol - and she has a great voice! Yes that really is Gwyneth singing in the film.

The good news doesn't end there because the supporting cast are just as good, Garret Hedlund and Leighton Meester were fantastic and so good as country singers that I immediately looked for their albums, but apart from the Country Strong Soundtrack, there aren't any! These are just great actors with great voices. Add in a strong performance from Tim McGraw (Oh why cant you just love your woman? - that's all she needs!!).

With fine, layered performances from all and a storming soundtrack, this is definitely unmissable for any country music lover. I'm still humming the tunes days later.

By the way, be careful if buying the soundtrack album. There are two! The first has other artists covering many of the film's songs and though it's a good album, isn't strictly from the soundtrack in every case. The second album, with the same name, seems to have original performances from the film, but was out of stock and I have it on back order. I think this is the more popular one.

Anyway, if, like me, you don't watch films that score less than about 6 on IMDb, make this one an exception. You wont regret it!

Surprisingly better than expected

[justind-thompson · 7/10 · 13 January 2011]

Surprisingly better than expected. I did not think that I would like this movie at all, and probably would have skipped it had Shannon (my wife) not wanted to see it so much.

The acting was pretty good, I usually like Gwyneth Paltrow and she made the movie. All of the songs in the movie were very good, and I usually do not even like Country music. However, if you are not that into music or movies that have lots of singing then you should probably skip this movie because over a third of it involves singing.

Overall I was pleased with the movie. Good music as well as lyrics and I enjoyed watching Gwyneth and the two younger stars, Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester, perform their songs through the movie. I thought the theater helped create a good atmosphere for the movie, kind of like you were at their concerts. Keep in mind though that the movie is a drama so it is slower, and has serious issues going on with a sort of deep life message tied into the story as well, which I liked.

View my other reviews at: http://thompsonreview.wordpress.com/

A terrible muddle and then it ends

[HAL9000-4 · 1/10 · 17 January 2011]

A story with four characters and yet no main character. We are supposed to root for Gwyneth Paltrow's character yet she doesn't have that much screen time outside of "concert footage". She has no backstory, no history, only "the thing in Dallas" which is not fully revealed until halfway through the story.

Even Beau, who shares about 55% of the screen time, we know nothing about. Well, only two things: he is a singer/songwriter and he used to be an orderly at a rehab. That's it. Zip.

Not only do the characters have no past, but no future either, other than "Be a Star", whatever that means.