“A Prairie Home Companion”
It is hard to believe that for some people their only source of news and entertainment is the radio. Still today, the only way to get a message across to the most people in the world is by putting it on the radio. While some people may believe that this medium is nearly dead, they should understand that it would never die in the minds and hearts of generations of people.
“A Prairie Home Companion” is a tribute to what the live radio show was. The live radio show made its way into the homes of all Americans for decades. It started way before the Internet and a little before the television, but it affected its audience in a way that no other medium could try to compete with.
“”A Prairie Home Companion” goes behind the scenes of a live radio show on its way off the air. It is set in the present time with an unpretentious stage. The film captures the essence of something that was so stable to the public for so long. In the film, you see how the characters cope with the change that is about to occur. It is almost as if they are losing a lover or a best friend, they are too sad to see it go.
The film may be a stretch for some, but they need not be bored with its simple message. “A Prairie Home Companion” is about how the world around you may keep evolving, but you have the right to hold on to the world that completes you. Many people became attached to the airwaves and its messages. Whether they were soaps, jingles, game shows or novels being read by announcers, this was the source of entertainment and education.
The characters in the film may seem to be plain and sheltered, but they stand for a greater purpose. With a cast of Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Virginia Madsen, Maya Rudolph, Lindsay Lohan, Woody Harrelson, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly and Tommy Lee Jones, you could wonder how in the world Robert Altman got all these stars to align. Well it is simple; the story is honest and good. It is a message about something that is more than an electronic device. It is a message about how live radio made millions of people feel. “A Prairie Home Companion” is refreshing and honest, it is a true compliment to the good old days.
Story- A+
Acting- A+
Visuals- A
Originality/ Innovation- A+
Enjoyability- A
Overall- A+
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