DVD Review: Mighty Wind, A (B+)

Mighty Wind, A (2003)
Directed by Christopher Guest
Starring Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Parker Posey, Bob Balaban, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr.
MPAA: PG-13
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

The Spinal Tap "mockumentary" tradition continues to be served well by director and actor Christopher Guest. The hilarious film A Mighty Wind is another well acted ensemble comedy that is highly recommended.

This time around, Guest's story concerns a reunion concert of some of the leading folk music acts, including The Folksmen (basically the Spinal Tap band as a folk group) and Mitch and Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara). The quirky characters developed by Guest and the rest of the ensemble are fascinating. Levy's character has obviously done way too much acid, Parker Posey's character seems like a cheerleader on too much caffeine and Fred Willard's character (a washed up TV star) is obsessed with some obscure catch phrase that never was that popular to begin with (Wha' Happened?!).

Similar to the hilarious Best In Show and Waiting for Guffman, this ensemble comedy is a refreshing change of pace to the mindless comedies that the major studios keep foisting on the public. Guest is to be commended for A Mighty Wind, another fantastic indie comedy. Highly recommended.

Buy A Mighty Wind on DVD