The Thing Called Love

Starts out very well, with bright snappy dialogue, good music (even for a non C&W fan) and excellent performances, but takes a disasterous turn from the second act onwards as each character becomes more strident and obnoxious (especially Mathis), and huge chunks of story appear to happen off-camera (divorces, the rivalry between Phoenix and Mulroney which really doesn't go anywhere). Bogdanovich, what happened??

What would a grunge film do in a country music-themed hallucination? As the movie goes, we learn that the only two necessary and sufficient conditions for success in this Graceland-of-our-own-imagination are daddy issues and the urge to always wear blue. And furthermore, that the word "love" in the title refers solely to the egocentric way which in each individual is willing to give to another for their own reasons.

2

Even for someone who's not into country music (like me), it's a good film.

Viewed June 14, 2020.

(Viewed in 2014): Phoenix was a talented actor who died prematurely, and The Thing Called Love was his last film before his untimely departure, which is deeply unfortunate. He isn't bad in it per se, but he had nothing substantial to work with. The script is an outdated throwback to an earlier era, reconfigured for the grunge generation, and contrary to Rosenbaum's assertions, Bogdanovich did not improve with age. He was broke and took what he could get. This was the dire result.

Bogdanovich-for-hire film with almost none of his personality. Mathis is very good, but the music is the only thing in the film that has much care put into it.

(...)Im Zentrum von The Thing Called Love aber steht ein Schauspieler, der ganz weit weg zu sein scheint. Wie ein schwarzes Loch, welches das Licht des Films absaugt. Er scheint (wie der Titel eines seiner grössten Filme) ins Leere zu rennen. Manchmal meint man, die übrigen Schauspieler versuchen ihn mitzunehmen auf ein Niveau, dass er nicht mehr leisten kann. Es ist alles so ungeheuer traurig...

A solidly good movie, with an excellent young cast (including River Phoenix, RIP).

Good music. Girl didn't end up with who I wanted her to. Typical plot line. Girl goes to Nashville to find herself. Falls in love. Broken heart. Gives up and heads home. Moment of realization. Heads back, finally writes hit song. Plus the whole love triangle with the poor friend who's nice and can't help but love the girl. Emotional...almost cried..

Majestic acting from Phoenix and Mathis. Their chemistry is palpable. Good direction and writing. What's particularly great about this film is that it captures one of the most exciting moments in country music history in all its essence. It's difficult for a storyteller to have the kind of awareness to know in real-time when a moment is important and needs to be documented. Bogdanovich somehow saw it with crystal clear vision and executed a perfect story around that backdrop. Very underrated.