Country Strong

This country music drama stars Gwyneth Paltrow as troubled superstar, Kelly Canter.  A public display of drunken debauchery during one of her live performances ends in tragedy as Kelly stumbles off the stage and loses her 5-month pregnancy in the fall.  After a short stint in rehab, her husband/manager, Ed (a quietly hostile Tim McGraw), sees fit to have Kelly released early so she can stage a comeback tour.  But between Kelly's demons, Ed's unwillingness to forgive his wife, and hot up-and-comers in the industry to contend with, the road ahead seems rocky and uncertain at best.  The character of Kelly is a departure for Paltrow, who usually plays the charming beauty with the winsome smile.  Here, the actress gives it her all to portray the singer as an unlikable, selfish, and mentally unstable artist.  Unfortunately, Paltrow does her job a little too well and there is nothing redeeming left about Kelly to root for, except maybe her musical ability.  On the flip side, newcomer Garrett Hedlund ("TRON: Legacy") plays Beau, a toiling country singer by night, and a rehab center attendant by day (where he meets and falls for Kelly).  Hedlund gives Beau a sweet earnestness in everything he does, from the way he lovingly tries to protect Kelly, to the way he strums a guitar.  But the most astonishing thing about the actor is his rich, heartbreaking voice that flows over you like a river of honey.  Hedlund could easily have a career in country music - or any music, for that matter - if he wanted to.  Speaking of the music, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the original compositions for the film.  I am admittedly not a country music fan, but thankfully the soundtrack had a nice balance of songs that skewed either to the alt-country or pop-country sides of the spectrum.  Overall, the story left something to be desired as it never delved deep enough into explaining where Kelly's self-destructive tendencies stem from - I guess we are meant to assume that fame has made her this way? - but the musical numbers keep the pace from dragging.  You may initially come to check out Paltrow's singing chops, but it's Hedlund's unique sound that will stick in your head long after.

3 out of 5 stars