Folksy Improvisation is A Mighty Wind
Within the creative lifetime output of an auteur director, there are some that focus on variety, but others (such as the great Alfred Hitchcock), continually work in the same genre, perhaps aiming for repetition leading to perfection. Such is the story of Christopher Guest’s career, who helped pioneer (working with Rob Reiner) the mockumentary genre with the pitch perfect This is Spinal Tap (1984), and continued to make movies in the same vein - including two decades later with A Mighty Wind (2003) - this time as an actor, but also behind the camera as co-writer and director. Similarly to his first outing, this film focuses on musical acts and includes original music composed by Guest and his creative collaborators - Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, who had become regular players in Guest’s company of actors. Although he may have already achieved greatness with his first film, this endeavor has plenty of laughs, some dramatic tension, and wonderful original music.
When a famed music producer dies, his son organizes a tribute concert with the various musical acts that his father had managed during his long career. These performers include The Folksman, a trio (Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest) who sing in tight harmony and had been very popular in their heyday, but who haven’t performed in years. The second group is The New Main Street Singers, led by quirky couple Terry Bohner (John Michael Higgins) and Laurie Bohner (Jane Lynch), who in their spare time lead a cult of witches that worship the concept of color. Their manager, Mike LaFontaine (Fred Willard), is himself a colorful character with a large personality, stuck in the past of his minor success, and confuses everyone by using his catchphrase from a minor sitcom. The final act is Mitch & Mickey, a former couple of Mitch Cohen (Eugene Levy) and Mickey Crabbe (Catherine O’Hara), whose reunion is complicated; their famous breakup means they have been estranged all these years, but they will perform their famous song “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow,” which would always conclude with the singers sharing a tender kiss. During the tribute concert, various drama provides comedic bumps, but ultimately ends sweetly as Mitch and Mickey do indeed share a nostalgic kiss. Six months later, we catch up with the various acts and discover how the tribute concert has changed their lives.
This film carries on the mockumentary style established in Guest’s earlier work, specifically referencing similar visual techniques from This is Spinal Tap, including long-form interviews of musicians, folk music historians, and other periphery players, displaying in-movie historical artifacts and footage, and handheld camerawork following the characters as they prepare and participate in the tribute concert. Guest leans in even more to the creation of “historical” artifacts, including composed album covers, still photographs, and also archival footage of the bands in past performances. This technique imbues the fictional world with a lived-in history, helping to sell the audience on the authenticity of the musical acts' legitimacy. Guest also centers the film around the mockumentary interview, casting actors that can carry long-form takes, as well as utilizing his regular company of performers who are capable of incredible improvisation.
This mockumentary style creates a swift rhythm that moves the story and plot along, interweaving together through editing the various interviews, “historical” imagery, and snippets of music as part of the storytelling. The pace slows down occasionally to give the interviews, either single monologues or scene partners, time to deliver their quirky and humorous dialogue. Highlights include Jane Lynch and John Michael Higgins as leaders of The New Main Street Singers, delivering absolute ridiculous information about their characters with absolute sincerity (”There had been abuse in my family, mostly musical in nature”), along with Bob Balaban as the music producers son, Fred Willard as the group’s manager (who is amazingly grating as the guy who talks too much and doesn’t realize how annoying his is to all in his presence), Ed Begley Jr. as a network executive, Larry Miller and Jennifer Coolidge as PR managers, and Michael Hitchcock as the venue representative. The humor is allowed to breathe with each of these performers bringing a fully realized character, even if they only have a small part to play in the larger tapestry.
Giving space for the actors to bring their comedy and drama best, especially with improvisation, is what Christopher Guest mockumentaries are known for, and this film is no exception. Notable are the actors of The Folksmen group, who include the same trio who elevated This is Spinal Tap’s band to electric and hilarious heights - Guest, McKean, and Shearer. Their longform interview is a master class on listening and engaging in ideas thrown into the ring by building upon each other's lines and suggestions. Additionally, these interviews are done in continuous shots with very little editing needed to cover mistakes or laughter. The filmmakers allow the actors space to fumble their words or talk over each other to encourage the improvisation to breathe and echoes what a real interview would be like. Another outstanding actor is Eugene Levy, who gives an uncomfortable and weird performance, delivering his lines with a staccato cadence and bulging eyes, but he also comes alive during his musical performances. Catherine O’Hara gives such a realistic portrayal of a woman who is not as broken as her former partner, but gives him the grace and accolades for what they had accomplished together in their youth. They play people who have moved on in different ways, but there is still a sense of the shared history. They create real drama at the end of the film, as it is absolutely believable that neurotic Mitch would leave and not come back to the performance, but he is just trying to find a sweet gesture for Mickey, perhaps their last connection before they part again.
While crafting a film that focuses on comedy with folk musicians as quirky characters, it is delightful that the produced music for these three distinct acts are of very high quality. With songs mostly written and performed by the main featured actors (primarily Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and a notable contribution from McKean’s wife Annette O’Toole), they create a heartfelt and lively soundtrack firmly rooted in the folk genre. Particularly wonderful are the harmonies written and sung by the various acts. The music is an integral part of the overall tapestry that the film created, so it's delightful to see the scenes where the actors are actually playing instruments and creating music live, showcasing their talent for performing both acting and music. The soundtrack includes full versions of songs that were played in part or even just referenced during the film, as well as additional songs for each group; exploring the sonic landscape of Mitch & Mickey, The Folksmen, and The New Main Street Singers give more credence to why these groups were popular in their heyday.
As with all comedy films, a review could just be a listing of the most humorous parts of the films, but (in restraint) here are a few standouts. During the final performance, The Folksmen realize that The New Main Street Singers are opening with the same song they were planning on performing. Their disbelief is palpable, along with their disdain for the alternate version, as well as their disagreements on how to proceed - these were some of the best improvisations in the film. Additionally, their on-stage ramblings to stall while Mitch is missing dove into the origins of the Spanish Civil War, only to end the monologue mid-sentence when the singer is finally located. These three actors, continuing the chemistry they had established almost two decades earlier in This is Spinal Tap, blend together seamlessly whenever they are on screen together.
Overall, while A Mighty Wind doesn’t rise to the level of genius that This is Spinal Tap achieves, it is a well constructed film that relies on comedic and character actors giving memorable performances with dry and improvised humor. The cornerstone of the film is ridiculous monologues delivered with sincerity and the prep that the musician groups are doing to get ready for the show, along with the producer’s children who are trying to get the business side of the show together. Most notable is the music of the film, which is beautiful folk music and performed by the talent onscreen. The soundtrack is eminently listenable on repeat because it is quality music made by quality musicians. I have only seen two of Christopher Guest’s film oeuvre (both of his music focused efforts), but with one genius and another solid effort, his humor matches my sentiments, so I am curious to see more of his filmography with his stable company of comedic actors.
