Delayed Reaction: Nashville

Premise: An ensemble movie following numerous stories around Nashville in preparation for a politically convention.

There are some classics I love without hesitation (Casablanca, 12 Angry Men). There are some that I'm hesitant about and end up loving, much to my surprise (Citizen Kane, Schindler's List). There are some I dislike and wonder how they ever got to be so beloved (Network). Then, there's the group that I get but just can't muster up love for. The fact that I can't get myself to genuinely love Moonlight still bothers me. I've seen it 3 times in multiple scenarios and I still can't get it to click. I know it's good, but I don't love it. Nashville is in that last category as well. I know that people love this movie. It's often considered Robert Altman's best. It's a marvel of the kind of episodic, interconnected storytelling that I'm a real sucker for. The cast is unimpeachable. It's full of colorful characters. Even at 2h40m, it's impressive how much it manages to fit in.

Much to my disappointment though, I didn't fall in love with the movie. I kept watching parts and thinking "I see how that's good" without actually liking it. The best comparison I can find is hearing a joke and saying "that's funny" rather than laughing. That said, I could see changing my mind about the movie over time. If I see it again with someone who is a big fan or if I go through a long overdue Lily Tomlin phase, my appreciation could grow. As is, I kept drifting away during the movie. I felt every minute of the runtime. At one point, I checked the time, assuming I was nearly done and realized I was only at the halfway point. I can't say I really fell in love with any of the characters, and the music scenes (other than the one after the chaos at the very end) didn't enchant me.

So yeah, if someone puts Nashville in their top 10 movies list my response will be a muted "Oh, ok" rather than a disgusted "Really, that movie?". Movies do have a habit of growing on me rather than me immediately loving them, so maybe this will become one of those.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend