Country Call 'Em: Country Goes Hollywood

posted in: Country

No matter where country stars show up, whether at a concert, promotional event or on the radio, their fans are usually happy to see them.   A movie screen, however, is not somewhere I’m ready to see my favorite country singers. For a community of people so hell bent on staying true to themselves, its no wonder that the majority of films featuring a country star are lacking in the acting department. From Dolly Parton to Reba McIntyre, Willie Nelson to Billy Ray Cyrus, country music stars have long sought out Tinseltown’s spotlight. The question is, do their efforts prove there is a reason for them to leave the safety of Nashville and head for the Hollywood hills?

Speaking of country star gone wrong- the highly-anticipated Beer for My Horses was slated to be one of Toby Keith‘s biggest accomplishments. For months, country radio stations promoted and promised this movie, based on Keith’s famous song, to be the most entertaining movie . Willie Nelson partnered for the project, and country fans eagerly awaited what was advertised to be a cinematic masterpiece. Chock- full of big names, including Rodney Carrington, Willie Nelson, Tracy Morgan and Ted Nugent, this movie was projected to be a huge hit.  Since Keith’s first foray into film (Broken Bridges ) was less than successful, Beer for My Horses was not released to national audiences.  However, its 2008 limited release was met with disinterested audiences and lack luster reviews. Most dubbed it as a dumb comedy, lacking substance or interest. While the musicians in the film lacked any real acting skills, they were given credit for making a good effort. Still, it seems as though Keith should stick to writing songs rather than scripts. That way he can still stand by the success of Beer for My Horses as a song.

Yet another example of a country star who made a small foray into the acting world was Faith Hill. She appeared in 2005’s Stepford Wives, and while the movie did marginally well in theatres, Faith’s performance was limited. She tried her very best to succeed with the few lines she did have, but maybe it was a blessing that her Stepford character was nothing more than a robotic wife who spoke very little.  Regardless, Faith is one of Nashville’s most successful female singers, and she is undeniably talented. Whether that talent translates to the big screen, well, she is definitely zero for one in her attempts.

Faith Hill’s husband Tim McGraw, however, is one of the rarest miracles when it comes to country gone Hollywood. McGraw hit big success with 2004’s Friday Night Lights, in which he played an alcoholic father to one of the players. His role as Charlie Billingsley was deep and complicated, and Tim scored major reviews as a natural on screen. He then continued to star in a major motion picture titled Flicka, in which he also contributed to the soundtrack. Tim’s most recent foray into flicks was 2008’s comedy, Four Christmases, in which he successfully tested his comedic chops alongside Vince Vaughan. If general audiences doubt Tim’s acting ability, he has another film debuting November 20th. The Blind Side is another football film, also starring Sandra Bullock, that is expected to be a huge success. Hopefully, Tim can be enough of a film star for both he and his wife, and maybe save us from another Stepford-catastrophe.

While most times a miss,  a hit can sometimes emerge when country singers toss their hats into the acting ring. And when this miracle does occur, we country fans can be truly proud that our cowboys and girls are proving their talent in one more kind of rodeo.