Main Street (2010)

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I was waiting for some kind of clever liberal message, as I do with almost everything I watch these days. I didn't really detect one. It's about an Operations Manager for a Hazardous Waste disposal company. I don't know why the guy would have to travel all the way to Durham, NC for a warehouse and ultimately a processing center, but I guess there is only so much room in his home state of Texas. You probably know the story. This guy sets up these waste disposal centers in cities that could use the work and the revenue. He encounters some locals who then encounter each other.As other reviewers have pointed out, Durham is not a small dying city. It has a couple hundred thousand people and is part of a thriving region. But this picture could have been set at an earlier time. There are no computers or smart phones, so maybe it is supposed to be earlier than 2010, although there is no indication of that.Anyways, it is not about any of this. It's about hope, transition, renewal, and fear. Most importantly, it's about ordinary people. Having said that, these actors did an excellent job with the material. I too don't understand why they need to give the work to two Brits, but they did well.As other reviewers have mentioned, you keep waiting for the Colin Firth character to turn into a slime, but he doesn't. He is genuine. The best part is when the young woman calls her ex-boyfriend a "loser" for staying in town and accepting a potentially humble life. You could see that a part of her meant it, and that he was deeply hurt, but also that she didn't really want to hurt anyone, and didn't fully believe what she said.I loved the way they portrayed the ex high school sweethearts. Faced with the girl leaving town, the guy tells her straight out that he loves her and always has. That's what you have to do. Stake your claim. She reciprocated.Ellen Burstyn could have easily relied on clichés, but she didn't. Her facial expressions and reactions set her performance apart from that. I don't get the ending. I won't give it away, but it seems like the guy is admitting that he was never comfortable doing what he does to begin with. He fooled me.What a bizarre concept for a movie. That's why I like it. Because there is potential intrigue in the most mundane of circumstances. The main character mentions that a city's fate is dependent on how its' residents look at it. The same thing goes for a movie plot. You can turn a seemingly boring circumstance into something compelling with good writing, settings, and performances. They did that adequately here.

This could remind one of a Steven Soderbergh snore fest. It is a lingering, slow moving, vaguely interesting story of the modern American condition that promises much but delivers almost nothing.It is a character study of realistic people in a realistic situation forced to make difficult choices that come from a changing society. But it is all very vapid and the plot points are as unresolved and unanswered as is the finality of it all.The ending is so anti-climactic and the "change of mind and heart" from the "villain" of the piece is just abrupt and embarrassing, as is the final narration that is nothing but consummate corn-pone. The storage of hazardous waste in a formerly hazardous to your health tobacco facility is the one and only irony and the film is just uninspired.

Georgianna Carr (Ellen Burstyn) lives in a sleepy North Carolina town that has seen better days. Her father was a prominent businessman, in his day, and he kept a large warehouse for the tobacco farmers to store their product until it was manufactured into cigarettes and so on. That was long ago and this is now. Miss Carr is not wealthy and may have to sell her house. But, unbelievably, a Texan man, Gus Leroy (Colin Firth) wants to rent her warehouse and gives her six months rent in advance. Is this her way to keep her house? She agrees but finds out, too late, that he is storing hazardous waste, in government-regulated bins, until it can be properly disposed. Now, Miss Carr is so worried she asks her daughter, Willa (Patricia Clarkson) to help her find a way out. Meanwhile, Mary (Amber Tamblyn) a young twenty-something, beautiful lady discovers that the man she has been dating is married, technically, with two kids and won't seek a divorce until the children are adults. Whew! She contemplates moving to Atlanta, to the sorrow of Harris (Orlando Bloom) the town's sheriff who secretly, passionately loves her. Also, her parents are very reluctant to see her go as well. As to the warehouse, Willa tries to discuss things with Gus and finds out that they, both divorcees, may have a mutual attraction. Hey, this may not be a sleepy little town after all! When a heavy rain storm arrives, things get even more complicated. What will happen to these fine folk? Don't be fooled by the cover, with a smiling Mr. Firth in the center. This is not a light-hearted story but a fairly heavy look at a bevy of diverse topics. Among these are hazardous waste, aging Southern towns and the pursuits of the heart. The script, written by Horton Foote before his death, may have attracted the big name cast and they really are terrific. Firth has a genuine Texas twang so that's fun and Bloom sports a Southern drawl as well. More importantly, all of the principals give very touching turns. The small Dixie city has its charms, especially Miss Carr's house, and costumes, photography and direction are up to snuff. But, its generally a slow-moving, reflective film so not everyone will appreciate its better qualities. If you think you will, go for it.

"The company sent me to look for towns or cities that might benefit from our services. Durham was on my list." The town of Durham, like most cities has been hit hard by the bad economy. People are moving out and the unemployment rate is high. Gus Leroy (Firth) comes into town with a track record of helping towns recover and end unemployment. The town is unsure of his method, storing hazardous waste until it can be transported. This is another movie that proves that just because a movie has no CGI or explosions every five minutes it receives no marketing and the release it needs. This is a movie that is full of great actors and great performances. The plot is not that exciting, but the acting makes up for it. Colin Firth does a fantastic job in this movie of playing a guy who you aren't sure of. The entire movie he keeps you on edge wondering if he is really as good as he seems. Much like "Company Men" this is a movie that is a serious subject that sounds boring when you read it, but the acting makes it great. A must watch. Overall, a great movie filled with great acting that deserves a bigger audience then it will get. I give it an A.Would I watch again? - Yes I would.*Also try - Company Men