ViewGuide

Created Jun 30, 2012 09:29AM PST • Edited Jun 30, 2012 09:29AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   Drama factory… southern style. Fallen star Kelly (Paltrow) tries to come back from rehab to return to her country greatness. Rising crooner Beau (Hedlund) and beauty queen turned pop-star (Meester) complicate things by creating complicated relationships (with Kelly and each-other). Then there’s Kelly’s hubby James (McGraw) who sees $$$ at all angles and keeps this funky trio going. The movie is entertaining to be sure. It has slow starts, and parts that are less convincing, but in the end, the drama and twists kick in for all you soap lovers. Oh – and for you country lovers, the songs are quite decent.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   Who knew that Gwyneth Paltrow could hold her own as a country singer? Was that really her? She’s so-so as an alcoholic bossy star, but where she truly shined was in a brief period of post boozy haze for the core of her comeback.

   Hedlund is a natural as a country star, with his husky voice and neo-macho look. I think they should have made more of him in the film, but he does get the younger hottie in the end.

   McGraw had a mixed role – he was great as the a*hole husband, but less convincing as the loving spouse.

   Leighton Meester is not someone I’ve noticed before, but she’s pretty and a decent actor. A good pairing with Hedlund

5. Male Stars Good 3.0

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Good 3.0

10. Film

    Good 3.0

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.1

17. Sex Titillating 2.1

18. Violence Fierce 2.1

19. Rudeness Salty 2.1

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0