Ryan McNeil
Forgiveness is an interesting virtue. It cannot be taken, it can only be given. Furthermore, it can only really be given over when one asks for it. And while it can be deeply difficult to ask forgiveness from our friends and loved ones, sometimes that is far easier than finding the ability to forgive ourselves.
GET LOW is the story of Felix Bush (Robert Duvall). Felix is a recluse who lives in the back woods, well away from the townsfolk of his community. When he learns one day of a neighbour passing away, he begins to take stock of his own life. He is soon driven by the idea of planning his own funeral – with a catch: he wants to be there. Alive.
The local church will have no part of such an idea, but luckily for Felix two gentlemen at the town’s funeral parlour are quite happy to help him carry out such a plan. Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) is ready to do whatever he can to get Felix’s business, as the funeral racket has suddenly hit a lull and crippled Frank’s earnings. Buddy (Lucas Black) on the other hand, seems to be in it for a deeper reason. Somewhat of a wide-eyed believer, he’s the one who sees a kernel of truth in what Felix wants to do…and seems willing to do whatever he can to pull the wild idea off.
As plans start to unfold, we’re also introduced to Mattie (Mia Farrow) and Charlie Jackson (Bill Cobbs). While every person in the county seem to have a wild story about Felix, we get the notion that these are two of the last people out there who know the true story. They find themselves reluctantly drawn to Felix’s idea of a premature funeral…but seem more and more shaken by their memories as the big day draws near.
Is Felix’s idea just a nutter doing one last nutty thing…or is there indeed a kernel of honesty behind the whole mad plan?
Looking as weathered as my grandmother’s winter coat, Robert Duvall truly embodies the character of Felix Bush…so much so, that it might be his finest performance in a decade. He takes on a role that very easily could have become a caricature: the coot, the hermit, the loon in the woods. But instead of embodying those personas, Duvall simply gives them a nod as he walks right past them, and taps into a profound expression of sadness and regret.
As Frank points out, Felix can be extremely articulate when he wants to be. Such moments give us a glimpse into the fact that this isn’t a man who is hiding…but instead a man who is hiding something. Could it be, that he wants to hear all these tall tales about him to make his attrition? Why else would someone want to stand and potentially subject them self to wild rumour?
That’s the thing about making mistakes in life – especially mistakes that hurt those we care about. Trying to let go of our regrets can be torturous. The big mistakes seem so daunting when we make them. We can barely figure out how to continue on with our lives, let alone how to atone for what we’ve just done. Then as time begins to pass, guilt sets in…and before we know it, we feel like we’ve missed our chance. Felix embodies a worst-case-scenario, but likewise shows just what can happen when we recoil in shame, and sadness takes over.
Much like someone trying to find the right words to apologize, GET LOW is quiet and drawn out. The film offers up a few moments of levity, but is primarily a slow and deliberate march to the confessional. It lures us in with the absurdity of a recluse wanting to witness his own funeral, and then becomes sadly wonderful as we watch autumn turn to early winter, and likewise learn more and more about Felix’s true motivations.
What takes this odd notion of attending one’s own funeral and turns it into the truth, is the small circle of friends that rallies around Felix as he wrestles with this idea. Sure some are there reluctantly – like Mattie and Rev Charlie. And yes, some are there for profit – like Frank and Buddy. But as the big day approaches, they close ranks to become Felix’s support network.
What this does, is allow Felix to stand up and take responsibility. In a way, I’d like to believe that deep down, these people did what they did out of respect for Felix all along. But even if that isn’t true, it feels true as Felix goes further and further down the path. The rest of the county thinks he’s nuts – it’s these people that can see that what Felix wants to do is genuine
Overall the movie is evocative of spending time with close friends, and sensing the conversation drift from laughs and anecdotes to deeper truths and introspection as the hours wear on. It’s in those late hours that GET LOW opens up to us, hat in hand, to tell a tender and wry tale of a man taking stock of his life before its too late