g-bodyl I haven't seen any of Christopher Guest's films prior to this film A Mighty Wind, but I've heard many good things about them. They seem to be mean-spirited, but often hilarious. After watching A Mighty Wind, I concluded that this film is less funny than I thought it would be (it still is funny), but how it wasn't mean and it treated it's subject with some respect. But as this is still a mockumentary, it still pokes fun at everything. There is also some good folk music to go along and there is actually good tunes worth listening to.Christopher Guest's film is about how after a longtime music producer passes away, three folk groups from the 1960's reunite to perform a concert to memorialize the man who got these bands famous.The acting is pretty good and it seems like the cast made their characters more personal, which added depth to the story. Christopher Guest does a good job as a member of the Folksmen as well as Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. Catherine O'Hara does a solid job as Mickey but Eugene Levy truly shines as Mitch and he reminds me of the aging rock star who is always high or on drugs. Finally, Fred Willard is hilarious as the manager of the Main Street singers especially when he goes out spurting his catchphrases.Overall, A Mighty Wind is a solid mockumentary that is mostly funny, but surprisingly heart-warming. It has many good tunes to listen to as this film celebrates the life of folk music. The film seems a little odd at times, but that is because it has a strange sense of humor. But as this film likes to point out, the answer is always blowin' in the wind. I rate this movie 8/10.

eric262003 What "Best in Show" and "Waiting for Guffman" contrasts from other ensemble comedies is that the directors give the stars the liberty to improvise their lines and let them express their interpretations of the situations they face in their respected scenes. Very few directors have the bravery to perform such a task, but director/performer Christopher Guest manages to do that and succeeds. This gives these top comic stars the opportunity to just let their comedic juices flow naturally."A Mighty Wind" differs from the other two aforementioned is that instead of being focusing on an ensemble cast, it predominately concentrates on two characters, folk singers Mitch (Eugene Levy) and Mickey (Catherine O'Hara). The storyline is pretty easy to follow. A group of folk singers from the 1960's get together again for a concert credited by their creator Irving Steinbloom. The main attraction are Mitch and Mickey, who were once a singing but it ended in an ugly break-up. Mickey moved on to marry the legendary Leonard Crabbe (Jim Piddock), while Mitch unfortunately hit rock bottom.Overall the cast of talented performers naturally throw themselves into their roles. Fred Willard, Jennifer Coolidge, Spinal Tap alums Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Guest himself are all effective in their performances. But it was Levy and O'Hara that stole our hearts and it was a shame they were rejected winning Oscars because they went over the limit in providing comedy and giving a lifelong lesson that settling their differences won't be solved by having an affair. There's no gregarious sex scene or any cheesy serenading from a bedroom window or something like that. Nothing forced comes out of these characters as they express their passion through subtle methods like body language and facial emotions. This is a romantic comedy with such amazing chemistry it'll melt your heart like a hot knife through butter. But one could argue that Eugene and Catherine have known each other when they first broke into entertainment over 35 years ago when they were alums on the popular Canadian sketch comedy "SCTV". The real flaw in this movie that with so many stars in such little time, so many of the stars have very little to do, that their roles are underused. The scene where Mitch and Mickey kiss may not appeal to many, but I really thought it was one of the more pivotal scenes in the movie. It was so touching and may even put you in tears. Of course for the music lovers of all genres, the singing was very entertaining. This talent pool can do it all and all so poignantly. The humor is not over-the-top zany like in other Guest films. Instead we have a romantic comedy/musical about two poor souls trying to work their problems out.

zaid-adham Though I might not understand folk music as much as I do the world of rock or heavy metal as so perfectly committed in mockumentary form in This Is Spinal Tap, Christopher Guest and co have failed to get the same reaction out of me in this film, neither in concept nor in execution. Concept-wise, the film would work but it seems that the story could have benefited from the direction of someone else other than Christopher Guest, who doesn't manage to pull off the mockumentary look (or flow) like Rob Reiner or others before him have done.Over-acting on the part of several players (most prominently Eugene Levy and Fred Willard) really sold this as a terrible mockery of the mockumentary genre. The plot was lost in the attempt to film this as a mockumentary and so the film loses its ability to define itself much like most of the folk singers are incapable of dealing with the loss of their identities in the latter parts of their lives after the folk sensation died down.This one gave too much away, the only way I didn't recognize This Is Spinal Tap as a real documentary in its realism was the appearance of Fran Drescher. Definitely a weak movie, this one.

djdekok I was working the children's stage at Musikfest in Bethlehem PA a few years ago, and the local folk music society was getting ready to go. They seemed a self-important, pompous group. I kiddingly asked them if they'd seen "A Mighty Wind" and got looks of stony silence from every single performer in the group. That's all I needed to know. Their instrumentals were ragged, they didn't sing that well, Why am I telling you this? For the simple reason that "A Mighty Wind" spoofs these goofuses perfectly, poetically, practically every way they can be. As in "This is Spinal Tap" and (the even funnier IMHO)"Best in Show", they capture the quirks of the offbeat characters who take themselves and their avocation a little TOO seriously.