When I first saw Nashville some 15+ years ago, I hadn't really watched much Robert Altman, and what little I'd seen hadn't sunk in much. So maybe Nashville wasn't the best starting point for an Altman newcomer; it's possibly the most extreme version of the "Altman film," with more than 20 main characters, an overarching plot that's tenuous at best, and a length that can be exhausting if you're not enjoying yourself. So, at the time, I wasn't a fan...but as time passed, I saw more and more Altman, and loved more and more of it. And so, I finally revisited the film, and found myself staggered by its greatness, its accomplishments, and its astonishing skill. Trying to summarize the film is an impossible task, as anyone who's seen it can attest; it's about politics and entertainment and the ever-blurring lines between the two; it's about love and betrayal and the compromises we make to make ourselves happy; it's about our dreams and the ugly reality that often comes when we get them; it's about shallow people who reveal depth and deep people who reveal their shallowness. It's a film that, as I mentioned, has more than 20 main characters, all of whom get an arc. That's a staggering thing to think about, especially when I see films that can't even manage to have a compelling journey for one character. But Altman manages to tell all of these stories, and tells them all beautifully, juggling the characters and letting all of them develop and have their moments, until you realize just how rich the tapestry he's created has become. It's a thoughtful film, one that may eschew anything approaching a traditional plot, but has more to say than most films ever could. Altman avoids easy platitudes, too; look, for example, at how Henry Gibson's flashy country music icon reveals not that he's a shallow hypocrite, but that he truly believes the things he says, the way he acts. Look at how Lily Tomlin's loving mother makes a choice that could easily make her a villain or fill her with regret, and then watch as Altman gives her a richer, more surprising ending. And then watch as Altman delivers scenes that overwhelmed me with emotion - a slow breakdown on a music stage that breaks your heart, a club performance that evolves into something far more unpleasant, a concert that veers into tragedy before filling with something closer to triumph. In short, then, it's Altman at his best, juggling dozens of characters, an improvisatory style, a sprawling story that ends up being richer than you expect, and making a portrait of a city that's both more sincere and more mercenary than outsiders might expect. Nashville may not be my favorite Altman film - that would still probably be McCabe and Mrs. Miller - but it may well be his best.
- Josh Mauthe
- Josh Mauthe
RSS Feed