A Mighty Wind (2003)

88% of critics liked it
(172 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(39,323 ratings)

The writing and directing team who created Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show turn their satiric eye toward the world of folk music in this sly mockumentary. Irving Steinbloom was one of the great behind-the-scenes figures of the folk music boom of the late '50s and early '60s, and helped to… More The writing and directing team who created Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show turn their satiric eye toward the world of folk music in this sly mockumentary. Irving Steinbloom was one of the great behind-the-scenes figures of the folk music boom of the late '50s and early '60s, and helped to nurture the careers of three of the best known acts of the era. The Folksmen -- Mark Shubb (Harry Shearer), Alan Barrows (Christopher Guest), and Jerry Palter (Michael McKean) -- were an earnest folk trio who sang of America's noble past and the challenges of the future; they split up in the early '70s after a failed attempt to go electric. Mitch & Mickey were a duo in both music and life, comprised of Mitch Cohen (Eugene Levy) and Mickey Devlin (Catherine O'Hara). They sang soulful songs of love until the collapse of their relationship sent Mitch into a deep and incapacitating depression. And The Main Street Singers were a nine-piece vocal group -- a "neuftet," as they prefer it -- who offered energetic good-time music, cranking out nearly 30 albums in the course of a decade; their current incarnation, The New Main Street Singers (played by Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins, David Alan Blasucci, Steve Pandis, Christopher Moynihan, Paul Dooley and Patrick Sauber) is still on the road. When it is announced that the legendary Irving Steinbloom has died (the character never appears in the film), his son Jonathan (Bob Balaban) decides that the best way to memorialize his father is through music, and with the help of Mike LaFontaine (Fred Willard) of Hi-Class Management, they set out to bring The Folksmen, Mitch & Mickey, and The New Main Street Singers back together for a special concert at New York's Town Hall. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer -- who previously teamed up for This Is Spinal Tap -- not only perform together as The Folksmen in A Mighty Wind, but composed most of the songs performed onscreen. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Christopher Guest
Written By: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 16, 2003 Limited
On DVD: Sep 23, 2003
Studio: Castle Rock Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
There is no shortage of performers with comic skills in A Mighty Wind. What's lacking instead is a visible premise for the satire and ridicule.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Most of this film feels as if we've seen it before, and that's because we have. But this cast is marvelous to be around, as always.
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle
You don't leave A Mighty Wind laughing so much as humming. Its dialogue may be improvised, but its music is well rehearsed.
Tom Long, Detroit News
While Guest never forgets to laugh, he never forgets to love either, embracing the very subject he is simultaneously throttling.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
A hoot.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
A rollicking, tongue-in-cheek sendup.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Hilarious mockumentary of aging folk singers.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
One breathtaking moment of clarity between Eugene Levy's Mitch and Catherine O'Hara's Mickey gives way to an anticipated kiss during which you can practically sense the characters' hearts thumping and their fictional contemporaries rooting for them.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Director Christopher Guest teams up recurring cast members from his past ensemble comedies ("This Is Spinal Tap," "Waiting For Guffman" and "Best In Show") for this immaculately executed comedy of folk music stereotypes.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Guest lets the characters talk at length, obliviously revealing their own quirks and neuroses.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Where Guffman and Best found hilarious comedy in collisions of fractured personalities, Mighty Wind boasts only a few moments of inspired chaos.
Mark Sells, Oregon Herald
A witty, knee slapping hootenanny.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Ao substituir a acidez de seus filmes anteriores por um tom mais simpático aos personagens, Guest perde parte da graça - mas, ainda assim, consegue divertir bastante.
Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
A Mighty Wind doesn't blow. But as satire, it doesn't sting much, either.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jonathan H

Full confession alert: I'm not the biggest Christopher Guest fan; however, A Mighty Wind is maturely directed, heartfelt, and keenly observed. I never thought I would be genuinely touched by a Guest film, but that's why we watch movies, right?
Spencer S

Whenever I want to watch something light and comedic I either watch a Woody Allen or one of Christopher Guests' mockumentaries. This film is lacking compared to the over the top ensemble Waiting for Guffman and the polarizing Best in Show, but what it doesn't hold in a… More
Whenever I want to watch something light and comedic I either watch a Woody Allen or one of Christopher Guests' mockumentaries. This film is lacking compared to the over the top ensemble Waiting for Guffman and the polarizing Best in Show, but what it doesn't hold in a secure and structured plot it makes up for in heart and gumption. I agree that when it tries to be subtle it's not well understood and when it tries to be obvious it's a bit in your face, but overall I found this to still to have a quiet charm about it. Guest always satirizes the easy targets: dog shows, local theater, and retired rock bands. Anywhere where eccentric characters thrive he mines for the laughs, usually easy with his usual cast of characters. Guest always uses his old stand-bys of Eugene Levy (who co-writes the scripts with Guest), Catherine O'Hara, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean. He also utilizes youthful character actors John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, Jane Lynch (an unknown in both this and Best in Show), and Bob Balaban. Every one of these films works exactly the same: a group of characters with misshaped values work to find fame and love from the crowd, either don't succeed or thoroughly embarrass themselves, and we flash to a short amount of time later to see the depths to which they have fallen. Most of this film is solely the folk music, the characters playing their instruments, and the oncoming concert. Through the interviews we learn strange details about these people including the involvement in a cult, a past in pornography, homelessness, and transgendered choices. The sub-plot over Mitch and Mickey was probably one of the sweeter things I've seen in film in a long time. Really, a delightful ensemble.
Thomas B

What it lacks in plot it makes up for in an abundance of laughs. Full review later.
Randy T

Kooky but lovable mockumentary. In the same vein as <i>Best in Show</i> and <i>Waiting for Guffman</i>. Definitely the lesser of the three.
Anthony L

There is no denying that nobody (to date) does Mockumentary quite as well as Christopher Guest but A Mighty Wind suffers for the simple fact that when it's subtle, it's too subtle and when it's obvious, it's just a little too obvious. Good film and very funny, it… More
There is no denying that nobody (to date) does Mockumentary quite as well as Christopher Guest but A Mighty Wind suffers for the simple fact that when it's subtle, it's too subtle and when it's obvious, it's just a little too obvious. Good film and very funny, it just lacks that certain edge. Great performances though!
Lenny M

What is going on? I reviewed this already. Folk the world brilliance.
Greg S

A mockumentary in which three retired folk groups, each with their own backstories, get together for a reunion concert to honor their dead producer. None of the satirical bite or outright hilarity of SPINAL TAP, but it succeeds with involving characterizations (especially by a… More
A mockumentary in which three retired folk groups, each with their own backstories, get together for a reunion concert to honor their dead producer. None of the satirical bite or outright hilarity of SPINAL TAP, but it succeeds with involving characterizations (especially by a crazy-eyed Eugene Levy, who has been spending his post-stardom days in mental hospitals), and by being remarkably sweet towards its subjects without ever becoming cloying.
Ken S

I HATE folk music and I can't stand this movie as a result
Tim S

Lovely music and a funny mockumentary. I enjoyed it.
Summer W

Christopher Guest and his fellows are brilliant.
Tim S

Not as good as the others.
Jason S

Excellent! This is a very smart and funny movie. The cast is great and they really make all the characters thier own.
Keysha H

Christopher Guest is brilliant! Plain and simple.
Lafe F

I love this movie! Great music, characters and situations. It's very funny and enjoyable Folk Reunion. Many of our Waiting for Guffman, Spinal Tap and Best in Show friends return for a triumph! The songs are styled after real folk acts, but the themes and lyrics are cranked up a… More
I love this movie! Great music, characters and situations. It's very funny and enjoyable Folk Reunion. Many of our Waiting for Guffman, Spinal Tap and Best in Show friends return for a triumph! The songs are styled after real folk acts, but the themes and lyrics are cranked up a few notches for some hilarious weirdness.
Daniel H

Perhaps not as good as its forebearers, and maybe it begins to show Guest starting to chafe under the mocumentary format... but it is still hilarious down to it's core.... although their is a caveat. To really understand the humor, you need to understand the American Folk scene,… More
Perhaps not as good as its forebearers, and maybe it begins to show Guest starting to chafe under the mocumentary format... but it is still hilarious down to it's core.... although their is a caveat. To really understand the humor, you need to understand the American Folk scene, or to have seen another Christopher Guest film.
Michael G

Whenever these guys get together they never disappoint.
Leigh R

Thsi si great...
Burger S

I'll take "Waiting for Guffman" or "Best in Show" instead please.
a b

I got a weal wed wagon!
Mike T

Sometimes it goes too far, and sometimes it doesn't go far enough, but it's intelligent and that's more than a lot of comedy movies can say. Several hilarious scenes and keen performances from everybody. Worth a look.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Bob Balaban as Jonathan Steinbloom

            Christopher Guest as Alan Barrows

            Catherine O'Hara as Mickey Devlin Crabbe

            Eugene Levy as Mitch Cohen

            Michael McKean as Jerry Palter

            Jane Lynch as Laurie Bohner

            John Michael Higgins as Terry Bohner

            Parker Posey as Sissy Knox

            Harry Shearer as Mark Shubb

            Fred Willard as Mike LaFontaine

            Ed Begley Jr as Lars Olfen

            Paul Dooley as George Menschell

            Jennifer Coolidge as Amber Cole

            Michael Hitchcock as Lawrence Turpin

            Don Lake as Elliott Steinbloom

            Larry Miller as Wally Fenton

            Deborah Theaker as Naomi Steinbloom

            Christopher Moynihan as Sean Halloran

            Paul Benedict
            
            Jim Piddock as Leonard Crabbe

            Freda Foh Shen as Melinda Barrows

            Laura Harris as Miss Klapper

            Linda Kash
            
            David Blasucci as Tony Pollono

            William S. Nunziata
            
See full cast