Cast

Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney, Bill Cobbs, Lori Beth Edgeman, Andrea Powell, Tomasz Karolak

awards

Torino IFF 2009 – best actors, Edinburgh IFF 2010 – audience award

Film description

A folksy dark comedy exposing the shocking effect events from the past can have on life. The plot is a mix of true story and fable of the life of 1930s Tennessee hermit Felix Bush (Robert Duvall). The aging outsider, who hid for years from human sight, became the stuff of evil legend. Though compared to the devil and accused of slaughtering innocents, Felix does not try to change his image. He ruthlessly fends off with shotgun any trespassers daring to disturb his peace, wears tattered clothes, keeps a long gray beard and a donkey for conversation. Is he a mean fool or a pained soul looking for love and warmth, hiding a dark secret? Robert Duvall deftly navigates Felix’s personal qualities.

Feeling the end is nigh, Felix decides to visit a nearby town. He calls on an undertaker to order a funeral, which is to take place while he’s still alive. Driven by vanity, sentiment for the past or pure eccentricity, he wants to hear all the tall tales about himself. A greedy and cynical, though sensitive, funeral home owner (Bill Murray) tries to help him in this devilish endeavor.

Agnieszka Szeffel