A Prairie Home Companion

We saw the movie yesterday. Before we went, I could not conceive of what this movie was really going to be. We've enjoyed the radio program for years--about 6, I think. What it turned out to be was the story that unfolds while a radio show is being performed--both the onstage stuff and offstage.

I remember when it was really clinched for me that I really liked this radio program: just after the 2002 congressional elections, where the Republicans took over. I had never heard such self-deprecating humor as I did while listening to the show immediately following. Garrison Keillor just made fun of himself as a liberal and of the democratic party. As a recent convert from the Republican party, and of the conservative talk show loop, I thought, gee! The conservative radio shows don't have anything like this. They don't poke fun at themselves when they lose. They get vitriolic and talk about how the morals of the country are going downhill, evidenced by this (theoretical) election. But here was something feel-good to pull us through this hard time, and more than that, an optimism about where our country was going--this was merely a glitch, or a misunderstanding.

Anyway, I really liked the movie. I especially couldn't figure out the role of Meryl Streep. I see her as the actress' actress. She's very sophisticated, in my mind, and I couldn't see her in this kind of hokey role. But she is not only sophisticated, she's really good. I highly admire Meryl Streep and want to see her other summer movie, The Devil Wears Prada. I think the role of evil bitch is perfect for her!

Back to the movie at hand....I suppose in the end, the movie was about how the more things change, the more they stay the same; we're all going to die of something so enjoy life while you can; people don't change....but you can change your experience of them. I liked the overall message of it.

And it was fun seeing it in a theater full of Prairie Home Companion devotees!

Ah--one more note--the Bad Jokes section was wickedly funny. But if you take your kids be prepared to answer some questions....though when I said "do you really want to know?" the answer was "maybe not."