Allreaders.com

Get Low Movie Review Summary

Actors: Robert Duvall

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Get Low


This is the story of an old man who lives in the woods. Everyone in town thinks he was a murderer or something to that sort. He must come to town and explain to everyone what happened 40 years ago.
Click here to see the rest of this review...


Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) is not known well by those in the town. Many of those in town think he killed someone.. Felix shows up in town with money requesting to have himself a funeral party. The manager of the funeral home, Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), is having trouble with money. He sets up a funeral party for Felix and invites the people of the town. This way the people can tell Felix what they think of him. To make sure that people will come, there is a lottery set up using Felix's property as the prize for the winner of the lottery.

This story gets more difficult when the old story is brought up. The story deals with a widow, Mattie Darrow, who was dating Felix when they were younger. It also has to do with Mary Lee Stroup, her sister. A preacher helps Felix to get the truth out about the story. He tells everyone that he had an affair with Mattie's sister, Mary. He says that Mary was his real true love. Felix and Mary had plans to run away with each other but then she didn't show up. Felix went to her house to find her but when he got there he found out that Mary's husband knocked her out with a hammer. Mary's husband then through a kerosene lamp in order to light the house on fire and kill himself and Mary. When Felix got there, Mary's husband tried to attack him but he got away. However, when he got away from the husband his clothes got on fire and he also saw that Mary was caught fire as well. When he tried to get the fire off from him, he fell through a window. He assumed he was pushed by Mary's husband. He told the people of the town that he couldn't get back into the house to save Mary.

Mattie looks like she has forgiven Felix. Felix sees Mary's ghost. A little while after the end of the funeral party, Felix passes away.
Best part of story, including ending: I really liked how the story played out. It shows that no matter what you think of someone, it may not always be true.

Best scene in story: My favorite scene was when Felix showed up to the town, at the funeral home, requesting his own funeral party. At this point, I wondered why someone would request a funeral party. However, that scene played into the whole story very well.

Opinion about the main character: I really liked Felix's commitment to telling the town what really happened 40 years back. It takes a lot of courage to bring up old memories such as those.

The review of this Movie prepared by Cara Gilmore a Level 2 American Robin scholar

This story is about a hermit who lives isolated for 40 years. He decides to throw his own funeral party before he dies. Robert Duvall plays the lead character, Felix Bush, who lives in the woods on 300 acres far away from anyone and shuns the people of the nearby town. The townspeople all are scared of him, thinking his is crazy, and since he has no contact with any of them, they make up all kinds of false gossip about him to try to explain why he has lived all alone for so long. A preacher comes to his property to tell him an old friend has died. Felix also fires upon him for trespassing. However, this triggers something in Felix who soon goes into town using his mule and a wagon to talk to the preacher about having a funeral. Felix wants to have a funeral for himself before he dies. Felix tries to give the preacher money but the preacher refuses to accept it, saying God's grace is free if Felix would only choose to accept it. A young couple comes in to the church while this discussion is going on and the young man, Buddy (played by Lucas Black) overhears Felix asking for a funeral.

As Felix leaves the town, a young man verbally insults him, throws rocks at him, and spooks his mule, which rears up breaking the wagon. The young man comes to attack him physically. When the young man gets close, enough Felix beats him down while the townspeople all look on. Buddy works at the local funeral home, which Frank Quinn (played by Bill Murray) operates. Frank explains to Buddy the funeral home is about to go bankrupt because not enough people are dying in the small town. Buddy tells Frank about Felix and him wanting a funeral before he dies. Frank is a salesman huckster so he sees this as a chance to make some money. Frank asks Buddy if the old man has any money. Buddy tells him of the wad of bills he saw Felix offer to the preacher. Franks says, "Hermit money is the best kind." They drive to the woods. Frank stops, where the no trespassing sign is located, and then sends Buddy in to talk to the old man. Buddy almost gets shot but then Felix recognizes him from the church. Felix offers him a meal. They start to become friends.

The next day Felix appears at the funeral home. He tells them he wants a funeral party and he wants everyone to come who has some story to tell about him, no matter how bad it is. Buddy is reluctant, but Frank wants the money, so they agree to throw the funeral party for him. They put up posters around town and invite everyone to come. Felix meets his girlfriend from forty years ago, Mattie Darrow (played by Sissy Spacek) who had returned to the little town because her husband died. They spark up the flames of their relationship from long ago which when Mattie sees an old photo of her sister on the wall of Felix's cabin, reveals why Felix has lived alone. Felix admits to Mattie he loved her sister more than her and still loves her after all these years, which breaks Mattie's heart, especially because her sister was married at the time when they all met.
Felix is interviewed by the local radio and during the interview he announces everyone who sends in five dollars to the funeral home will get a chance to win the inheritance, upon his death, of the 300 acres of land covered with timber which has not be cut for 100 years which is worth many thousands of dollars. Lots of money comes in the mail because of this offer.

Felix asks Buddy to drive him north to another state where they encounter a preacher, Rev. Charlie Jackson (played by Bill Cobbs). Buddy learns Felix is responsible for building the church. The construction is all beautiful handmade wood. Felix begs the reverend to come to the funeral party to say something about him and to tell what happened 40 years ago. At first, the reverend refuses saying Felix has to be the one to tell it, but later Frank comes back alone and is able to convince the reverend to attend otherwise the party, which has so many people involved in the preparations, will be cancelled.

Many people come to the funeral party, which starts with happy festivities, until Felix comes on the stage to tell the horrible truth about what happened 40 years before which made him so guilt ridden and live alone for all these years.

Best part of story, including ending: It is very interesting the hermit, who has very little direct experience with people, knows exactly how to get everyone to do what he wants done.

Best scene in story: When Mattie sees Felix for the first time, she treats him with great respect and love. It is touching because it is completely the opposite of the way all the other townspeople treat him. This is because she actually knows him from the time before he became a hermit.

Opinion about the main character: Felix has a very hard time forgiving himself for what he has done and punishes himself brutally by having a life so isolated from everybody else. This is very sad.

The review of this Movie prepared by Willi Vision a Level 31 Creepy Stalker Barn Owl scholar

Script Analysis of Get Low

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Time/era of movie:    -   2000's+ (present) Inner struggle or disability    -   Yes Struggle with    -   guilt over actions that lead to death/injury

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   unemployed Age:    -   60's-90's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White American

Setting

United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Midwest Small town?    -   Yes Small town people:    -   hostile, like Gomer Pyle on steroids

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment Any profanity?    -   Occasional swearing

Movies with storylines, themes & endings like Get Low

Get Low Message Board (click here)
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian