The Last Movie I Saw

Is there any question that Bill Murray has established himself as the pre-eminent alumni of Saturday Night Live? I know his roots go back to Second City, so it's little surprise that he has the acting chops to sustain a long career. But unlike most of the folks who first found fame on SNL and then moved on to movies, he has resisted the temptation to coast. Most would probably chart his turnaround as a serious actor to Rushmore (1998) or Lost in Translation (2003), but I'd argue that at least since Quick Change (1990) (and arguably The Razor's Edge in '84) the guy has consistently challenged himself with roles that are not mere retreads of his earliest successes (like Stripes). Get Low, directed by Aaron Schneider, is much more Robert Duvall's vehicle than Murray's, but the latter's character is as critical to bringing the film to life (as is that played by Lucas Black)-- maybe moreso-- than Duvall's old coot. The reason I say that is because by design Duvall needs to remain something of an enigma, and so the weight of elevating the movie above a simple mystery rests largely on the supporting cast. Murray plays a big city hustler exiled in a small town exhibiting what I would call restrained avarice, knowing he's got a situation he can exploit but ultimately gun-shy either because past schemes blew up in his face or because he's been seduced by the bucolic nature of small town life and people (no doubt the latter, if you stop to think about it). It's a charming performance in a charming movie, which makes it easy to overlook a couple of narrative flaws (undelivered payoffs to a couple key set-ups). I can't wait to see what Murray does next.