A Prairie Home Companion Review

As anyone knows who has regularly read my reviews knows I am a habitual NPR (National Public Radio) listener.  Those of us who listen and are members of our local Public Radio stations have our favorite shows, but A Prairie Home Companion which airs every Saturday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. after All Things Considered Weekend Edition, is not one of mine.  I find the program just a touch too cutesy and boring for my tastes. 

And so I was a bit surprised when it was announced the a movie would be made from the rather bland radio broadcast (staring) the real live host Garrison Keillor who has a face that was most certainly made for radio.  One the movie set Mr. Keillor who portrays GK is joined by such noted actors as Woody Harrison, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Cline, Virginia Madsen, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, John C. Reilly, and Lindsey Lohan. 

But even this talented cast of notables could not make the story come to life; the movie version is (almost) as boring as the radio broadcast.  To be fair some of the music performed throughout the movie is darned good, but it cannot make for a badly contrived story-line.  Unless you are a diehard fan of the radio broadcast, skip A Prairie Home Companion.