Based in Minnesota, radio show "A Prairie Home Companion," along with all of its performers, finds itself finally at the last live broadcast. The show's owners have sold the theater which "Prairie Home" has called home for over 30 years.
The acts put smiles on their faces and they put on the best show they can while mourning on the inside. The master of the show, G.K. (Garrison Keillor), keeps everyone in check onstage while private investigator turned security man Guy Noir (Kevin Kline) deals with everyone back stage.
Noir finds himself chasing after a woman in a white trench coat -- she's also known as the Dangerous Woman (Virginia Madsen) -- that is wandering around in the wings and dealing with the theater's new owner, the Axeman (Tommy Lee Jones).
The show goes on as planned with performances in front of a live audience and on the radio. The Johnson Sisters, Yolanda (Meryl Streep) and Rhonda (Lily Tomlin), perform favorite songs and reminisce about family experiences. Yolanda's daughter Lola (Lindsay Lohan) gets dragged along and writes suicidal poetry amidst the hoopla. Adding a little spice and crassness to the show are singing cowboys Dusty (Woody Harrelson) and Lefty (John C. Reilly).
Noir acts as both himself and as the omnipresent vocal narrator. He summarizes the feeling of the "Prairie Home" performers as it's in their nature as Midwesterners to ignore the problem in hopes that it would eventually go away. However, the Axeman has his sights on making a parking lot where the theater stands and the curtain's closing is inevitable.
Primarily, "A Prairie Home Companion" is filmed inside of the dark theater with the main focus being the staging areas. The opening and closing sequences are the only shots that take place outside, specifically at a diner across the street.
Altman shot the movie as if it could be taken as part documentary and part musical. The actors jumped headfirst into these roles and the emotions they were feeling are blatantly painted on their faces. The show must go on, as many would say, but the strain and sadness is evident and convincing.
As folk singers, the actors are astounding. Who knew that Streep had a wonderful singing voice? Reilly already proved his singing chops with his role in "Chicago," but united with the comedy and harmonizing with Harrelson is a winning combination. These two cowboys home from the lonely range also provide the scene and song which make the movie. A producer warns them to behave and, of course, they go out on stage to sing the laugh-out-loud funny song "Bad Jokes."
Lohan also takes to the microphone providing an interesting version of old song "Frankie and Johnny." Although her role is unnecessary, her acting is satisfactory.
Another role which was a bit pointless: Madsen's Dangerous Woman. She spends her time walking around the set randomly, adding nothing to the scenes until she finally announces her true reason for being in the theater.
"A Prairie Home Companion" provides a little comfort and escapism from the modern world where the commercials and radio personalities aren't all that sweet and charming.
"A Prairie Home Companion" is now playing at the Downer Theater.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
