Country Strong (2010): Dir: Shana Feste / Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester, Marshall Chapman: Why this film is called Country Strong is a mystery because it is a total downward spiral that goes totally against the notion of surviving fame. Director Shana Feste also wrote the screenplay and it shows that writing is not her strong point. She opens the film effectively with Gwyneth Paltrow as Kelly Canter, country music icon released from rehab after a stint that caused her a miscarriage in Dallas. We know from the start that she will struggle with addiction during her comeback tour but it is the slap in the face conclusion that left viewers groaning. Is Canter's fate really the material that the title describes? Paltrow can sing and puts on a great Dallas concert but much of the film she is in agony, and her manager / husband played by Tim McGraw is a wealth seeking prude who never realizes his pig-headed mistake until it is too late. Together they make for one depressing couple to spend ninety plus minutes to watch. Then there is Garrett Hedlund as newcomer Beau who has sexual relations with Canter and a new performer Chiles Stanton. These relations bare no emotion and basically paint Beau as an unsympathetic caregiver. Only Leighton Meester as Chiles is remotely interesting as she struggles with stage fright then becomes a new sensation who is seemingly taught how to be level by sex banger Beau and drunk and destructive Canter. Technically well made film about the illusions of fame but the result is a film that is hardly strong. Score: 4 ½ / 10

What do I know about country music? I own a few Johnny Cash albums. I never jumped on the Billy Ray Cyrus bandwagon. I never tried to impress a girl by pretending Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift is my type of music, and I can honestly say I have never participated in a line dance. So, what was I doing at a screening of "Country Strong?" Maybe it was because I knew that this genre of music has millions of fans worldwide and a long history going back several decades. With that extensive history, the music and the performers have a chivalrous quality.

The film begins with Beau Hutton (played by Garrett Hedlund) and Kelly Canter (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) both in an alcohol rehab facility. Kelly was once a six-time Grammy winner in this fictional country world. It is implied that something awful happened in Dallas due to her drinking problem and that is why she is in rehab now. "Dallas" soon becomes code for "rock bottom" throughout the story. Beau works at the rehab facility as Kelly's sponsor (a sponsor who drinks, but her sponsor none the less) and is also a country music singer.

Kelly's husband/ manager (who is about 20 percent husband and 80 percent manager) James Canter (played by Tim McGraw) comes to pick up Kelly from rehab. Instantly there is tension between James and Beau. McGraw does a great job of playing the reserved yet highly focused and determined manager of Kelly's career. James pulls Kelly out of rehab early to reboot her career. It was never stated that he was doing this for money. The underlying issues of James have something to do more with money than with fame.

James recruits a young beauty queen, Chiles Stanton (played by Leighton Meester) to open for Kelly's comeback tour. Again there is tension between James and Beau. Beau doesn't want to open for Kelly; he wants to stay true to the music by playing in the honky tonk bars and not do it for the money. How noble.

Beau also has an instant love/ hate with Chiles and sees right through her phoniness. Beau and Chiles represent the two sub genres of country music. Beau wants to have a good time singing country tunes while Chiles wants the pop stardom and to sing songs that have titles like rides at Disneyland (that was a joke from the movie).

Kelly's first show is a disaster. An event from her past (yep, you guessed it, Dallas) comes back to rattle her and she goes back to drinking. James graciously forces Kelly onto stage where she has a breakdown. For much of the film there was a series of relapses for Kelly followed by fits of her crying followed by instantaneous sobriety. I hope the studio was paying Paltrow by the tear drop; she would have made millions off that deal alone.

The story goes from a love triangle to pretty much a love rectangle between the four main characters. We move into a series of romances on the tour between three of the stars. Beau wants Kelly. Kelly wants Beau, her husband and her booze. Chiles only wants Beau. Then Beau wants Chiles. James really just wants to be left alone while he works on his business deals.

The story finally climaxes to Kelly's big finale in Dallas (yes, the same "Dallas" as before) where all three of the top stars give great performances. To add a the dramatic element, before each musician gives their superb concerts they have one-on-one heart-to-heart talks in the dressing rooms letting each other know how they feel about each other.

Should you see this movie? Maybe, if you are a fan of country music you might appreciate it a little more than I did. If you are a casual listener, there might not be enough to hold your attention. It did give a great view of what goes on behind the scenes of the music industry. The performances and singing by the cast were amazing (McGraw, the only real country music singer in the film, doesn't sing a single note). The ending was unique because it was something new to this type of film. It does end like an old country song.

Since I'm fond of good country music I thought I'd give this a try, despite not being very keen on Gwyneth Paltrow. However, in this movie she gives a storming performance as a famous country singer, gradually falling apart with depression and alcohol - and she has a great voice! Yes that really is Gwyneth singing in the film.

The good news doesn't end there because the supporting cast are just as good, Garret Hedlund and Leighton Meester were fantastic and so good as country singers that I immediately looked for their albums, but apart from the Country Strong Soundtrack, there aren't any! These are just great actors with great voices. Add in a strong performance from Tim McGraw (Oh why cant you just love your woman? - that's all she needs!!).

With fine, layered performances from all and a storming soundtrack, this is definitely unmissable for any country music lover. I'm still humming the tunes days later.

By the way, be careful if buying the soundtrack album. There are two! The first has other artists covering many of the film's songs and though it's a good album, isn't strictly from the soundtrack in every case. The second album, with the same name, seems to have original performances from the film, but was out of stock and I have it on back order. I think this is the more popular one.

Anyway, if, like me, you don't watch films that score less than about 6 on IMDb, make this one an exception. You wont regret it!