When looking back on the film “Get Low,” the first scene that comes to mind is the chilling opening: a house seemingly burning to the ground in the middle of the night, orchestra music playing for a long moment, and then a dark figure with no visible face running out of the shadows of the house, silent and possibly murderous. That scene defines how the people of a small Tennessee town view Felix Bush, played by Robert Duvall — a formidable hermit of a man who gives away nothing and takes nothing.

After a mysterious dream, Felix decides he wants to arrange his funeral service in advance and throw his “funeral party” — while he’s still living. Frank Quinn, a financially troubled funeral director played by Bill Murray, jumps to the challenge despite the misgivings of his assistant, and invites people from the surrounding counties to tell their stories about Felix, true or not, according to his wishes.

Through these confessions, we begin to understand the depth of Felix’s character. His former flame Mattie, played by Sissy Spacek, says he’s “the most interesting person” she’s ever met and describes him as a “deep cave.” More and more allusions to his shameful past surface, such as the photo of a woman he keeps near his bed, the preacher who urges him to tell the truth and his tension with Mattie. Soon, it becomes obvious that Felix has an ulterior motive for his living funeral party.
While many aspects of the film were enjoyable, including the soundtrack, which features a new song by Alison Krauss, what carries it are the strong performances by the principal actors. Duvall, as usual, is fantastic as the cantankerous Felix Bush. The actor has the tendency to be charming no matter what role he plays, which is appropriate for this character. Felix is also so well-spoken and poetic that you find yourself hanging onto his every word, but he can be threatening and demanding as well. In fact, he is such the quintessential old fart that he could probably rival Daniel Plainview of “There Will Be Blood” in a fist fight.

0Although Murray was clearly the comic relief, it was more because of his character’s constant scheming for money than his usual antics. His persona here was more reminiscent of “Lost in Translation” than any of his other movies.
I wished I could have seen Spacek more since she was one of the only ones who humanized Felix, but those scenes were sweet and touching enough that it doesn’t particularly matter. Bill Cobbs’ screen time was likewise too brief, as he was the voice of reason and the sole person that knew the entire truth.

Additionally, the brief commentary “Get Low” made on religion and forgiveness, and how forgiveness means something different for different people, leads the viewer to constantly question what is truth, what is fabrication and how that will affect the outcome. The sets and costuming were outstanding as well — after a few minutes, it was barely noticeable as a period piece, which speaks to the naturalness of the setting.
The story is relatively simple, and yet it’s still very powerful. Felix Bush could have
been an unlikable character (what with being a grumpy old hermit who wouldn’t think twice about shooting at trespassers) but Duvall’s performance and the strength of the script makes the viewer latch onto him right away.

For all of this, “Get Low” deserves attention during the award season, especially its memorable performances. Here’s hoping it uses death to support a fruitful life at the box office, too.