A Prairie Home Companion: 2006, dir. Robert Altman. Seen on June 24, 2006 (Dobie Egyptian Room).
Neither the Beau nor I were eager to see A Prairie Home Companion, but it was our only choice for a non-stupid comedy over the weekend. We aren’t huge Altman devotees (although I’m quite fond of MASH), and we’ve never been fans of the radio show, but wanted a light, smart movie to watch in a theater. A Prairie Home Companion was just right for meeting those expectations.
A Prairie Home Companion is an offshoot of Garrison Keillor’s radio show. In the movie, Keillor plays himself, G.K., the host of a live radio show that is giving what may be its last performance before new owners of the venerable old theater knock it down for a parking lot. Some of the musical acts on the show include Lefty and Dusty (John C. Reilly and Woody Harrelson), the Johnson Sisters (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin), and Chuck Akers (L.Q. Jones). Meanwhile, detective wanna-be Guy Noir (Kevin Kline) has spotted an unusual backstage guest … the mysterious Dangerous Woman (Virginia Madsen). Can she somehow help save the theater and the radio show? Will the heartless new owner (Tommy Lee Jones) really go through with it? And what’s been going on between G.K. and Streep’s character, anyway?