Rating: 
Summary: Loved it so, we saw it twice the first week
Review: Granted, I am a Christopher Guest fan (although I liked Spinal Tap less than Guffman and Best In Show) Granted, I am a former 60s folksinger who performed solo, as part of the duo of Cam and Randy and even a few weeks as a fill-in in the New Christy Minstrels. But the fact is my wife and I LOVED Mighty Wind so much we went back to see it AGAIN in a different theatre just a week after seeing it the first time. We loved the gentle humor, the wacky satire. ("I don't much care for folk music," says the PR guy. "Me too!" enthuses the PR woman who thinks she "shares a brain" with her boss.)
The actors in this film have become like family to us since so many of them were in other Guest films. (Granted, I did work with Paul Dooley in the 1979 Robert Altman film, HEALTH.)
It was a delight to see how John Michael Higgins stepped up to the plate as a singer and an arranger this time. Jane Lynch, whom I have admired ever since her bit in The Fugitive, perfectly nailed the "high on life" attitude of the New Christy... uh, sorry, the New Main Street Singers.
I admired the actors for learning to sing and play but it was still a pleasure to spot pro musicians like Joe Godfrey and Bruce Gaitsch.
But, aside from the wonderful humor, we were surprised to be sincerely moved (by the kiss in the rose song, for example) and we were delighted to find the music so entertaining in its own right. (Yes, we actually marched right downstairs to Tower and purchased the soundtrack after we saw the film the first time.)
We found this film a wonderful alternative to the "cruel humor" so common on screen these days in films by ex-SNL folks and others.
In short - a little late for that, I guess - WE LOVED IT!
Rating:
Summary: This is a 'Must Buy'!
Review: "A Mighty Wind" appears to be one of those movies that never gets old. Reminiscent of Woody Allen before he got boring plus a night playing old Kingston Trio albums it is an introspective satire of the first water, taking the heartbreaking triviality of the 60's folk movement and making it ... funny. Bob Balabon as Jonathan Steinbloom develops the plotline playing the obsessive compulsive son of the folk music hero Irving Steinbloom. He just gets funnier as he pulls together the three diverse and unpredictable groups of musicians for one last tribute to his folk music hero father. He never quite makes sense but you find his dithering entirely believable and worthy of sympathetic laughter. The Folksmen played by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are a perfect caricature of deadpan serious Midwestern folk musicians. They punctuate their musical practice with sincere, well developed dialog. It is only after you listen for many minutes you realize they are pulling your leg, indeed ripping it out by the roots and beating your funny bone to death with it. Their pacing may be a little slow for someone who wasn't raised on a Minnisota farm with endless hours to listen to their old Norwegian uncles, but oh, the punchlines! Mitch & Mickey played by Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara take adolscent love and amplify it, filtering it through her midlife neurosis and his psychosis until the viewer falls in love with both of them. I have a little bit of trouble with the New Main Street Singers; perhaps this is merely post traumatic distress from Osmond flashbacks. But just when they get to be too saccharine they say something which is completely off the wall and WHAM, you find yourself rolling on the floor laughing again! I can't recall when I have laughed so much at a Sunday matinee. The existential angst, with tiny twist after tiny twist of near psychotic unreality went over very well with me.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific spoof, as good as Best in Show
Review: I'm not sure why some here have felt this show wasn't quite on par with the other films. This one seemed to have a little more heart, with the characters a little less ridiculous and more realistic than in previous films. My only criticism is that there are so many characters that you didn't get to see as much of some of them as you'd like. In the end, you'll find yourself laughing at the humor, surprisingly touched by Mitch and Mindy's story, and slightly uncomfortable with the fact that the music is actually quite catchy. A must see for Guest fans!
Rating: 
Summary: Even the LEAST satisfying Guest film gets 4 stars!
Review: The release of any Christopher Guest-directed Mockumentary has become cause for celebration, and "A Mighty Wind" is no exception. While perhaps not as consistently funny as "Waiting For Guffman" (but what really could be?), "Wind" still packs enough genuine laughs to keep the Guest record safely intact. The film centers around a reunion concert of a trio of Folk acts from the 60's in honor of their recently deceased manager. Each of the folk acts (The Folksmen, The New Main Street Singers, & Mitch and Mickey) are given some pretty fleshed-out histories courtesy of "archival" film footage, record covers, etc. And the attention to detail (in recreating what never existed) is meticulous and impressive, making the humor all the funnier. I hate to have to rate this Guest film a 4-star instead of his customary 5, but don't think a 4-star film is a letdown. In fact, there were at least two moments in this film where I laughed so hard that I lost oxygen flow to my brain, saw "stars", and thought I was gonna pass out. Watch for some of my favorite moments, such as John Michael Higgins' defense of the W.I.N.C. cult, Harry Shearer having to cut short his Spanish Civil War story behind a song by The Folksmen, someone (Jennifer Coolidge) who apparently doesn't know how to hum, the humiliation of wearing safety equipment during a chess match, Bob Balaban learning the hard way that he should just keep his mouth shut, and any time Fred Willard opens his mouth. Impressive side note: all of the songs in the film were written or co-written by the cast. Even actress Annette O'Toole contributed songwriting credit to 2 or 3 of them. I haven't purchased the soundtrack CD (at least not yet), but I read somewhere that The Folksmen do a mean cover of Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones on it. The song is not in the movie, however. But since the cast in this film is the same large ensemble cast behind Guests' two other masterful mockumentaries ("Waiting For Guffman" and "Best In Show"), we can now reasonably claim that there is probably no other more talented improvisational cast in filmdom today. And Guest regulars and SCTV alumni Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara, both so excellent and hysterical in "Guffman" and "Show" and everything else they've ever done, have to take a decidedly more dramatic path for their "Wind" characters. Levy's speaking voice is practically unrecognizable. What we miss out on from them in overt wit is more than compensated for by the delicate, romantic surface running just above the comic undercurrent. While not the out-of-the-park Home Run that "Guffman" was, "A Mighty Wind" is a very solid Double and threatens to steal Third -- and just like "Guffman" and "Show", reassures us that there is still great comedic talent out there at the movieplex every couple of years. As funny as these movies and their out-takes are, what I wouldn't give to be on the set during shooting! I'm sure the absolute funniest stuff never saw the light of day. Christopher is one Guest I always hate to see leave.
Rating: 
Summary: A Mighty Wind - didn't knock me over...
Review: The third film from Christopher Guest that follows the EXACT same formula AND CAST of his two previous films, Waiting for Guffmanand Best In Show. I'll be honest, I thought it was okay. Just okay. Why? Maybe this formula is just getting too tiresome for me? I think the film will do well though. It is a decent film and is funny. I just wanted something more though. I wanted to see him build on the formula and take it in a new and fresh direction. He didn't. Instead, we have the same cast, same style of shooting, same acting, same querky characters, and same end result. Really, I could have just watched one of his other two films instead. I really don't think I'm being that harsh about this. He is a good director but I don't know. I just didn't feel so good about this as I did his other films. I wouldn't really care if I never watched this again, I can't say that about his other two. One thing I really did like though was the realism in the characters playing the instruments. Perhaps they had to learn? I'm not sure, but it looked very realistic with how the music matched how they were playing the guitars and the bass. Well done there. Anyway, all I can really say is that I hope he tries to do something different next time.
Rating:
Summary: A Mighty Wonderful Film!!!
Review: When it comes to mockumentary parodies, no one does it better than Christopher Guest. With A Mighty Wind, Guest adds a fourth satire to his resume. The topic this time around is folk music - a genre that reached its zenith of popularity during the late '60s. Like Western movies, however, it has become something of a relic. Occasionally, some aging star will come out with a new album, but, for the most part, folk music went out of vogue long before vinyl ceased to be the medium of choice for music-lovers. Of course, there's still a limited audience for this sort of music, but Guest's movie is no more aimed at them than Best in Show is targeted at dog show participants. The comedy here is pretty universal. You don't have to like folk music to appreciate A Mighty Wind, and that's what makes it so special. The film chronicles a reunion concert featuring three once-popular folk music bands. Organized as a tribute to recently deceased music producer Irving Steinbloom by his son (Bob Balaban), the concert is headlined by three of acts from the '60s: The Folksmen, a trio (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) whose lone hit is more than thirty years old; The New Main Street Singers, a "neuftette" of nine whose image is pure Pat Boone even though one of their members (Jane Lynch) is an ex-porn star; and Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara), fondly remembered but no longer America's sweethearts. The concert is to occur live at New York's Town Hall and be broadcast nationwide on Public Broadcasting. In typical Guest fashion, not everything goes smoothly. For the most part, the comedy in A Mighty Wind is more amusing than hilarious. The movie provokes a lot of smiles and chuckles, but few belly laughs. Guest's camera captures everything with unblinking and unflinching honesty. As was true of his previous films, that's a key to A Mighty Wind's success. The folk music, like the heavy metal songs in This Is Spinal Tap, are both satirical and faithful to their inspiration. The lyrics poke gentle fun at the genre, but are not wildly over-the-top. Several are performed in whole or in part during the film's final 30 minutes, and they stand up well under the microscope. The majority of the major players in A Mighty Wind are Guest regulars - those who have appeared in one or more of his previous films. As the Folksmen, Spinal Tap companions Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer reunite. Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy, who have worked together since SCTV, are back for their third outing with the director. Bob Balaban is once again the "straight man," and Fred Willard is the most off-the-wall of the performers. And, despite not having much to do, Parker Posey has signed on again (she plays one of the New Main Street Singers). Those with an appreciation of Guest's previous work - This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show - will enjoy A Mighty Wind. The movie probably isn't for those who define a comedy as a series of fart jokes and gross-out gags. A Mighty Wind is another affectionate parody - one that delights in gently poking fun at its subject rather than tearing it to pieces - with plenty of amusing moments and one-liners that vary from lily white to off-color. And, despite not being a laugh-a-minute riot, it's nevertheless one of the most consistent comedies to reach theaters thus far this year. It's a terric film with an inspired cast giving terrific peformances, and plenty of crowd-pleasing moments. Jennifer Coolidge, in her almost cameo role, is exceptional, and Eugene Levy is absolutely brilliant. Kudos to the rest of the cast for their superb fun and wacky performances. "A Mighty Wind" is a mighty must for those who appreciate great comedy.
Rating: 
Summary: A Mighty Miss
Review: Too much missing here, too much of the folk scene ignored, too many opportunities for conflict passed over. All in all it's a rather boring movie, but not quite as boring as its website. For us, Guest and Levy missed the essentials of the folk scene with it's ego-driven characters, its groupies, it's drugs, and it's battles between the traditionalists and the new folkies who were writing their own songs. As far as this movie is concerned, those things never happened, and the characters here had no visible lives between their folk days and their reunion days. Pretty bland. Can't recommend this one to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: OK but not as funny as their earlier films
Review: "A Mighty Wind" is the latest "mockumentary" by writer/director Christopher Guest and his co-author Eugene Levy. Having explored the worlds of regional theatre and of competitive dog shows in "Waiting For Guffman" and "Best of Show," respectively, these two talented filmmakers have now seen fit to apply their unique brand of affectionate satire to the subject of folk music. As always, they have chosen to tell their tale using a film-within-a-film format, interspersing ersatz on-camera interviews amidst straightforward narrative passages - all centered on a reunion concert of some fictional folk singers from the 1960's and '70's. As a person who loved both "Waiting For Guffman" and "Best of Show," I must say that I was a bit disappointed by "A Mighty Wind." It isn't that there aren't some very funny moments in this film; it's just that there aren't nearly enough of them to bring the movie to the level of the earlier works. Apart from the fact that Guest and Levy seem to have reached the point of diminishing returns with their style - it may, indeed, be time for them to branch out a little and try something a bit different in the future - the writing in "A Mighty Wind" just doesn't feel as sharp or as well thought-out as it needs to be to make the concept work. The movie, as a whole, in fact, comes across as somewhat less fleshed out and fully developed than those previous films. As always, Guest and Levy - ever the clever, if benign, social critics - get perilously close to becoming condescending and superior in their attitude towards both the characters and the world they inhabit, but the large and gifted cast hits the right note in making the characters sympathetic and likable even when we find ourselves laughing "at" rather than "with" them. The only exception, ironically, is Levy himself, who overacts badly in the role of the depressed male member of a once-romantically connected singing duo. The filmmakers have done a seamless job in blending present day footage of the characters with cleverly faked photos and film clips of the performers in their younger days. Moreover, the music itself sounds terrific and goes a long way towards mitigating any feeling of disappointment that may arise from the uneven nature of the writing. "A Mighty Wind" isn't Guest and Levy at their best, but there are enough laughs and fine performances to make it worth seeing - and the music itself is worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: For Folk Music Fans:Some Fun and Several Good Songs
Review: This is another "mockumentary" by Christopher Guest; while it is enjoyable it does not live up to the hiliarity of BEST IN SHOW except in isolated sequences. Upon the [demise] of legendary music promoter Irving Steinbloom, his family decides to hold a concert at the Town Hall Theater in NYC which will reunite three of his most famous folk groups. These are the duo Mitch (Eugene Levy) and Mickey (Catherine O'Hara), a trio named the Folksmen (which includes Guest) and a nine member group that has been reconstituted as the New Main Street Singers. As in Guest's previous films, we gradually meet the characters through interviews which include some related flashbacks and then the story coalesces around the preparation for and actual production of the concert. The performances of the ensemble company, the majority of whom have appeared in Guest's previous films, are uniformly excellent but the hour and a half length of the film is not sufficient to develop many of the characters in much depth. Eugene Levy performed superbly as a burned out musician living on the edge of sanity while struggling to rekindle the magic that Mitch and Mickey once created for their audiences. There were several truly hilarious moments in the film, but it suffered from the lack of any cohesiveness to the storylines of the various groups. The spoofs were all lighthearted, but in several cases accurate enough to undoubtedly cause a little unease in those portrayed (such as PBS). This is a movie primarily for fans of Guest and his talented company of actors and for folk music fans. It will certainly resonate with people such as myself who have fond memories of the folk singers who were so popular during the sixties and seventies. (My wife and I on occasion still enjoy attending the wonderful reunion concerts held by some of the groups from that era.) In fact, one of the things that made this movie fun was trying to guess which groups and songs were being parodied. The most unexpected positive aspect of the movie was the quality of the music, primarily written by Guest and Levy. They did a superb job of capturing the spirit of the times (without delving into the controversial aspects of much of the music of the period). The songs actually could have been hits during that period, and while "A Mighty Wind" is not up the the standards of the period's themesong, the revival of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", it was rousingly heartwarming. The other wonderful aspect of the film was the simplicity of the music: understandable lyrics, easy to listen to harmony, and most enjoyably musical instruments without the overamplification that has become almost universal today. This is about nostaglia for a time when the entertainment value was in the music, not in the creation of a spectacular event. In summary, go prepared to laugh and listen to good music and just enjoy yourself while watching a recreation of a bygone musical era, but don't expect a great story. A solid three plus stars, funny and a good but not great film.
Rating:
Summary: fabulous
Review: This movie is a laugh a minute with the usual Guest timing and wonderful editing......the cast is magnificent and when it is over you are left wanting more........don't miss it!
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