Get Low
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek
Director: Aaron Schneider
Robert Duvall stars in this story spun, apparently, from folk tales.
Duvall is hermit Felix Bush who's spent 40 years living deep in the woods away from those nearby in mid-America.
Rumours swirl about him, the "weirdo in the woods", such as how many people he's killed - but no-one really knows much about his life or who he is.
One day, he heads into town to arrange his own funeral with Bill Murray's Frank Quinn (the local undertaker) - but with the proviso that anyone who attends has to bring a story about Bush.
Quinn, along with protégé Buddy (Lucas Black), pulls together the event - but it takes an unusual turn, as a long-standing mystery rises to the surface...
Get Low is not speedy cinema - it's blessed with some very, very dry humour and a stunning performance from Duvall, but it's slow to engage your emotions.
The mystery of why Bush made a hermit of himself propels the narrative along but by the time the revelation comes to light in the final act, it's lacking the commensurate punch that it needs. That's not to detract from Duvall's delivery of the truth, which is mesmerising, but you'd be hard-pressed not to join the dots of clues scattered throughout.
Unfortunately, what it means is that you feel slightly let down at the end - and while Get Low is blessed with great performances from Duvall, Murray and Black, it's not likely to endear you with its - at times - snail-like pace.
