(2012-04-30 01:18:50)

Eastwood tries to sing country

In the early 1980's, Clint Eastwood tried a number of different characters. He had his ups and downs, and HONKEYTONK MAN is definately a down. Based on a novel, the movie takes place in the 1930's with Eastwood playing Red Stoval, an aging country singer trying to make it in the bars. He sest out on a trip to Memphis, hoping to make it big. His real-life son Kyle plays his nephew, who tags along to keep him out of trouble.I give him credit for trying, but Eastwood CANNOT sing. He actually did a better job trying in PAINT YOUR WAGON then here. The movie is rather slow, with the occasional sleazy comment or action to hold your interest, which doesn't last long. One funny moment is when Red tells off a cop who is frisking him. Another is when he holds up a friend with a shotgun, (yes, he does carry a gun in this one briefly). By far the funniest part is where he takes his nephew to a brothel to help him lose his virginity! Still, the movie is depressing with Red suffering from TB throughout the whole film, and to see him waste away while singing doesn't make things any better. The cars are also not in date with the film. Wanting to be somebody is a good motive for still going on with the show, but he takes it too far, and any Eastwood fan would be rattled by the ending. HONKEYTONK MAN was a commercial disappointment, and I would sadly rank it as one of Eastwood's worst films.

gridoon

(2012-04-29 10:14:22)

Uneven effort from Clint.

"Honkytonk Man" is one of Clint Eastwood's most offbeat and atypical films;unfortunately, for the first hour, it is also one of his dullest. The storyjust doesn't seem to move forward or to lead anywhere. But then some briefamusing moments start redeeming it somewhat, and in the last 30 minutes itturns into a full-blooded (but never aggressive) weepie and getsconsiderably better. Eastwood de-emphasizes his usual facial expressions andone-liners here, and he isn't much fun to watch, but in the end he handleshis difficult dramatic moments (like the scene where he tries to keepsinging even though his disease has clearly worn him out) surprisingly well.As a whole, this personal effort from Eastwood is uneven, often tiresome butfitfully very interesting.

Rob Gonsalves

(2012-04-28 18:06:13)

One of the unnoticed treasures of the '80s.

(2012-04-28 05:48:13)

Honkytonk man

This review is from: Honkytonk Man (DVD) Good story line. Holds your attention. Kyle Eastwood did a very good job on this film.

Jdylan-1

(2012-04-28 05:55:32)

Decent story, but not very authentic in details

This movie has an okay story, a bit in the road-trip theme, andEastwood's son, Kyle, is an okay actor, but the other actors don'timpress me much. Eastwood didn't seem to care much about making themovie an authentic "period piece", and you will often see details inthe background from modern times, as well as the haircuts, which areobviously from the early 80's. Several times he shows musicians andthey seemed to put the least amount of effort into looking authentic.At the Grand 'Ol Opry, the female singer who is on after Eastwood issinging in a modern style, and anyone who listens to music from the1930's knows that doesn't fit. Even the music the bands are playing hasa 70's/80's sound to it. Maybe they should have got T-Bone Burnett asmusical director! They could have had a band on in the vein of theCarter Family, instead. I guess they had a limited budget and it shows,but it could have been a much better movie than it turned out to be.Other things I noticed were, the cement curbs in the really luxuriouslooking cemetery in the film with all the green grass andtrees...excuse me, this is in the 1930's, and as far as I can tell,most graveyards didn't look that maintained, as there was little money.Little things like that that kind of ruin the illusion of a roughperiod in the US. Even the cars sitting outside the Ryman Theater arehighly polished and obviously collector pieces rented for the film andthe owners didn't want to get any dust on them. With all the detailEastwood put into his later masterpiece films, I am a littledisappointed, but it is still a decent movie, I gave it a 6 out of 10.

TxMike

(2012-04-27 14:33:36)

Two Eastwoods make country music towards Memphis.

Honkytonk: a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall.This is part of a 3-for-1 DVD set of Eastwood "B" movies.Clint Eastwood is Red Stovall, a drunkard who writes songs and singscountry, with an ambition to become famous. His co-star here is his ownson, 15-year-old Kyle Eastwood as his nephew Whit. After setting up thepremise, most of the movie becomes a road trip with Whit driving, andthe two of them making their best efforts to get to Memphis withoutmoney, and with a car prone to breaking down.I found it mildly enjoyable, but certainly not one of the better ClintEastwood movies. I was surprised that he has a rather pleasant singingvoice, although a bit soft, not very powerful.It was good seeing Barry Corbin, 'Maurice' of "Northern Exposure."SPOILERS. Red was also sick, apparently suffering from TB. When hewould sing too much, he would start coughing and spit up blood. Beforehe died, he made it to Memphis, where a studio recorded all his songs.He may have become famous after he died.

(2012-04-26 22:34:39)

Clint went too far...

Let me say, right off the bat...Clint Eastwood is one of my top 3 favorite actors (Pacino and DeNiro are the other 2). You just can't beat the Dirty Harry movies! After a few successful Dirty Harry films, Clint decided to try comedy country music-tinged movies in the form of "Every Which Way But Loose" and "Any Which Way You Can"--and struck gold. I also enjoy those two movies for what they are. But then I guess he figured he could do no wrong--lol--and thought, "Well, I'd like to make a film about a country singer, and I CAN BE THE SINGER!" OK, that's crossing the line...Clint's singing voice sounds too much like his speaking voice--too whispery. His singing just plain doesn't cut it, sorry. He looks the part--looks a lot like pictures of the legendary Hank Williams--but he's not much of a singer. I know he's a musician, and I think it might be that he actually plays his piano parts in the movie (not sure, but some of his "piano acting" looked pretty real), kind of doubt he did his own guitar playing. But anyway, I know he is quite the music buff, and the songs in the movie are pretty good...not great, but good.Some non-musical aspects of the movie are lacking, too. I thought the stowaway girl was a fairly expendable character--she was mildly funny, but I don't think her character added much to the plot. The movie was just weak, overall. Kind of funny in some parts, but overall corny and cheesy. The cop scenes were dumb, too.So I can just hear the suits at Warner Bros. chewing Clint out after making this movie..."OK, Clint, you're mojo is wearing off on these folksy comedies...it's time for another Dirty Harry, movie...OK??"--haha. And lo and behold, one year later...Sudden Impact! With the all-time greatest movie catchphrase..."Go ahead, make my day!" Now THAT'S Clint Eastwood in top form! :-)So I consider Honky Tonk Man one of Clint's career low points. There are much better movies like this one from that time period...Urban Cowboy, The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia, and Honeysuckle Rose come to mind. I recommend those way over Honky Tonk Man.

bkoganbing

(2012-04-26 09:14:26)

Put Your Arms Around This Honky Tonk Man

One of Clint Eastwood's more personal projects is Honkytonk Man wherehe both gets to do some singing and also to work with his thenadolescent son Kyle. Apparently Kyle Eastwood has inherited the musicalpart of the Eastwood genes because he makes his living now as a jazzmusician. I wonder if he ever jams with Woody Allen?Clint did not exactly set the world on fire in his previous musicalouting in Paint Your Wagon. But in Honky Tonk Man he's right in hiselement as a hard living country singer during the Depression trying tofinally catch a break with the Grand Ole Opry.Arriving at his sister's farm, Clint picks up both Kyle who is playinghis nephew here and John McIntire who is Kyle's grandfather on hisfather's side and the three generations start out from Oklahoma toNashville.Eastwood has played some hard bitten characters in his films, but neverone as dissolute as Red Stovall. His high living has brought him a caseof tuberculosis, a lot more common and a lot less curable back in thosedays. In any event the peace and quiet of a sanitarium holds nointerest for Clint. He'd rather go out drinking and wenching than dieof boredom in a sanitarium.Of course the odyssey of the three bring any number of adventures aboutlife and love in their lives.John McIntire fits right in with the father and son Eastwoods. Alsolook for good performances by blues singer Linda Hopkins, young AlexaKenan who hitches a ride with the travelers, and a cheating BarryCorbin who Clint collects from in the usual Eastwood manner. All andall a nice family project from the clan Eastwood.

(2012-03-31 13:10:23)

I'm a Honkytonk man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ole Clint certainly has made better movies, but you want be disappointed if you like music. Him being a great actor doesn't hurt either!!!! Also his real life son plays in it also.

Jeffrey M. Anderson

(2012-03-31 06:22:00)

Today it looks much better, and contains one of Eastwood's most openhearted performances.

Janet Maslin

(2012-03-27 11:19:57)

The film comes across sympathetically but unconvincingly, as an attempt by a well-established movie tough guy to reveal his tender side.

(2012-03-26 18:29:48)

If your baby leaves you, and you've got no place to go, call me up sweet baby, & bring along some dough, & we'll go honky tonkin

In 1982 Clint Eastwood released Honkytonk Man. It was clearly a labor of love, of the music, and a chance for him to make a movie with his son, Kyle, who looks to be about 13 or 14 years old. The story resembles The Grapes of Wrath--Oklahoma farmers escape the dust and tornadoes and The Great Depression. But instead of California, Red Stovall (Clint Eastwood) wants to go to Nashville and audition at The Grand Ole Opry. The rest of the family goes to California, but his nephew, Whit (Kyle Eastwood) somehow persuades mom and dad to let him go with drunk uncle Red. He is fascinated by Uncle Red: his hat, his car, but most of all his guitar and music. His Uncle has two problems, though. He is a raging alcoholic, and he is dying of TB. Whit is the designated driver for the rest of the journey, and what a journey it is. I happened to glance at some other reviews that were heavily critical of the music, saying some of it wasn't authentic for the time period. I say that he might have stretched it a bit here and there, but the music was so good, that minor quibbles like that are quickly quashed. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, or at least a very reasonable facsimile, as well as a blues singer in the vein of Bessie Smith, are a few of the many musical highlights. The story is great, too, as Uncle Red shows his nephew how to tune a guitar, steal chickens, and even takes him to a brothel. If you weren't so caught up in the story, you might realize that the parallel story was Clint showing his son Kyle how to act in a movie, and introducing him to the Honkytonk life. Kyle Eastwood has grown up to be a musician, and he plays bass for his own big jazz band. Perhaps his fascination with the guitar wasn't acting at all. The story, based on a novel by Clancy Carlile, who also wrote the screenplay, never gives in to easy sentimentality, but it tugs at the heartstrings, and is gritty where it needs to be. Clarence Lawson Carlile's father was half Cherokee, and he was born on a Choctaw Indian reservation. He worked in Texas picking cotton until his sharecropper family moved to California to pick fruit. He began writing while in the Army during the Korean War and later received a Master's degree from San Francisco State University (my alma mater, by the way). His first novel, "As I Was Young and Easy" (1958), was written in 17 days. Red's struggle with tuberculosis was a harsh reality in those days, and TB also took the life of Jimmie Rodgers, the Singing Brakeman. Like Rodgers, Red Stovall knows he is dying, but he just wants to record some songs, do something that matters, before he dies. Honkytonk Man matters, and I recommend it wholeheartedly, it is one of Clint Eastwood's neglected masterpieces. 10 Films Starring and/or Directed by Clint Eastwood. Million Dollar Baby (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition) (2004) .... Frankie Dunn, Director The Bridges of Madison County (Deluxe Widescreen Edition) (1995) .... Robert Kincaid, Director Unforgiven (1992) .... William 'Bill' Munny, Director Bird (1988) .... Director High Plains Drifter (1973) .... The Stranger, Director Dirty Harry (1971) .... Insp. Harry Callahan Play Misty for Me (1971) .... Dave, Director Paint Your Wagon (1969) .... Pardner Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) .... Blondie ... aka The Good, the Bad and the Ugly(USA) Per qualche dollaro in piГѓВ№ (1965) .... Monco ... aka For A Few Dollars More(UK) (USA)

in-the-fade

(2012-03-24 03:35:56)

Don't get too cozy.

An under appreciated 80s effort (being Eastwood's ninth stint directinga major feature), which rarely gets a mention and if so it mainly getsa "meh". This Clint Eastwood directed/performed feature 'Honkytonk Man'shows much more a vulnerable Eastwood in a very dramatic role (of anaging, alcoholic drifting country singer) that asked a lot from him.Set during the period of the great depression that ravaged the 1930s,Eastwood manages to capture the authentic atmosphere and dustylocations of the times with Bruce Surtees's earthy photography and hisvery-grounded direction, but also letting the harshness move over forsome very sentimental openings that never manipulate the situations.There's a real homegrown feel, mixing elements of a coming of age storyto someone longing to be somebody and this is all coming together tolearn not to take everything on face-value. We watch two people,fulfilling a dream as it ignites the passion leaving to a series ofadventures and an insightful script exploring the interactions. It's an inspired turn by Eastwood, but his son Kyle Eastwood is just asimpressive in a sincerely down-to-earth performance as the young ladWhit, the 14 year old nephew that makes sure that he gets his uncle tothe Gran Ole Opry stage to do his thing… albeit trying to keep himsober to perform. Along for the journey you'll find the likes of JohnMcIntire, Alexa Kenin, Tim Thomerson, Barry Corbin, Macon McCalman, JoeRegalbuto and Charles Cyphers making up a splendidly admirable cast. Avery heart-warming Verna Bloom and sturdy Matt Clark do leave theirmarks as Whit's worrying parents. While rather long, the chemistrymakes sure the story marvelously flows and the relax temperament letsthe emotional factor seep in. I don't know, but I found it hard not tolike. The score is a perfectly delightful country twang featuringnumerous names in Marty Robbins, Frizzel and West, Ray Price, LindaHopkins and supervised by Snuff Garrett. Let's not forget Eastwoodhimself adding to the arrangement.A wonderfully brassy and enterprising Eastwood fable.

(2012-03-23 16:23:19)

Great Movie

This review is from: Honkytonk Man [VHS] (VHS Tape) This is a change of pace for Mr Eastwood, but it is a good change. This is a good story and I am very impressed at Mr Eastwood's singing in the movie. Some parts might seem to be rather "cheesy", but Honky Tonk Man has remained a favorite for my entire family for years. The only downside is that if you purchase the soundtrack, there are other people singing the songs rather than Mr Eastwood . . . bad idea!

Eric Henderson

(2012-03-18 14:49:48)

Clint Eastwood's dust bowl drama Honkytonk Man is a sensitive road picture about a mostly luckless aspiring country music singer.

Strider_1978

(2012-03-18 03:42:06)

Truly an under rated gem.

I think I know what I'm doing wrong these days with films. With certainexceptions, I'm looking for a good time at the movies when many of thefilms that are produced lack so much of the quality that can be seen inthe films that do not gain as much of a reputation. I would havenormally over looked this film. The only reason I viewed it was becauseit is part of a movie trilogy with Clint and Clyde. Honky Tonk is avery honest portrayal of the life of a stricken county singer and hisfamily.It is well shot, well scripted and well acted. It's not attempting toentertain it's audience with anything flashy because really it doesn'tneed to. Sometimes a film must be viewed for it's story and how well itis made, and not for the fireworks that many of todays films feel theneed to incorporate because of audience attention span. Another one ofmy all time favourites, No Country for Old Men managed to do somethingsimilar, in that it gave you the 'feel' of a part of a hard world wherethe characters felt and seemed real. It didn't need to try to be flashwith anything because we were so involved with the characters and thephotography that we didn't care about the fancy trimmings.As far as character driven, well made films go this is is definitelysomething to watch. It is sometimes hard hitting, and won't win anypopularity contests save with those of a discerning, approving eye forgood pictures.Recommended.

(2012-03-10 14:08:57)

Excellent Depression-Era Depiction.

I like Clint Eastwood movies and last night I watched "Honkytonk Man." It's a big change of pace for Eastwood, that's for certain. He plays a loser among losers in depression-era America and a wannabe country singer headed for Nashville and the big chance of a Grand Ol' Opry appearance. He's with his nephew (played ably by his son). Although billed as a comedy, it's really a rather dreary story and there aren't any winners. I think it might be best viewed as a period piece and the movie does a rather good job of depicting people and their environments in the Great American Depression. Most of the movie looks like it was filmed in Nevada rather than in the route from Oklahoma to Nashville, and the modern stripes on some of the roads are a dead giveaway that it's just a movie and that someone was not careful enough with the little details.In playing a country singer, Eastwood sings his own songs and my advice would be not to give up his day job. It's a rather good cast and I'm wondering how they could find such a dreary, beat-down group of people, but they fit the depression era setting perfectly. Kudos to the makeup people! Make no mistake, this is a good movie. It's not one of Eastwood's best movies, but is well worth watching especially for the depression era depiction.Gary Peterson

Derek Adams

(2012-03-10 09:53:01)

The whole thing veers wildly in quality, and no Eastwood-hater should go within a mile of it; but few lovers of American cinema could fail to be moved by a venture conceived so recklessly against the spirit of its times.

Roger Ebert

(2012-03-08 11:39:32)

This is a sweet, whimsical, low-key movie, a movie that makes you feel good without pressing you too hard.

(2012-03-08 02:07:30)

Great movie about a time gone by

This movie captures the spirit of the people during the Great Depression. Clint Eastwood portrays a country-western singer who's racing against time to have his ballad recorded. Kyle Eastwood (Clint's nephew) plays Hoss a young boy who sees no future in his present life so he anxious embarks on a road trip to get his Uncle Red to Nashville. It's a very atmospheric piece that contains just the right amount of comic relief. It never gets too cheesy or sappy and one actually begins to relate to all of the characters.This film includes cameo appearances by Bob Wills and Eddy Arnold. Highly recommended