Elizabethtown "I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember"

I had not seen Elizabethtown in a long time to tell the truth and I am not sure I would have ever watched it again if it weren't for one Joe Weins. Joe had recently been getting on my case calling this the "greatest movie ever made" and I was so intrigued why he had chosen this one. I was a huge Cameron Crowe fan so any of his movies I was glad to watch again. So he came on over and we popped in Elizabeth town to see if I had missed something on my original viewing that would help me understand the "greatest movie ever made" according to Joe Weins.

Elizabethtown stars Orlando Bloom as Drew Baylor, a shoe designer who has just recently caused his company to lose one billion dollars. Drew decides to commit suicide but right before he does, he gets a call from his sister informing him that his father has died. On the flight over to Elizabethtown, Kentucky he meets flight attendant Claire (Kristen Dunst) who is different than his typical cup of tea. Drew must now deal with all his family in Kentucky while dealing with the death of his father and his feelings for Claire. During this wild journey Drew learns about himself, his family, Claire, and most of all his father.

Elizabethtown is not a bad movie but at the same time it misses on so much potential. I had huge hopes that Cameron Crowe would make another classic but it falls short. Still this is a solid film. Crowe shines as a director and does some great shots that match his style. Along with that the movie's sound track is damn impressive and is able to fit the mood of every scene that its in. I also did enjoy the editing done in this film that fit nicely with the mood. Also this movie does have some real funny moments. I enjoyed Kristen Dunst throughout the film and thought she gave the film a lot of heart and humor. Bloom wasn't too shabby either, I particularly enjoyed him trying to steal the wedding beer. I will also gives Crowe props for doing a good job at capturing a southern hospitality. I could recognize the family gathering as if it were my own. At the same time, I saw the family problems and fights that they were having were relatable for a lot of people I am sure.

Still I am not completely sure why this movie falls apart. I feel that when you get to the funeral reception is where the movie starts to lose its stride. I did not enjoy Susan Sarandon doing a comedy routine during her husband's funeral or her tap dancing. I didn't take the audience's reaction to it either very believable and it almost upsets me that Crowe went that way. I also didn't enjoy or believe Drew's connection to his office worker Ellen (Jessica Biel) because we do not see enough of their past to ahve any reason to believe why Drew is so hooked on her. Also as much as I enjoy the Free Bird scene, it feels out of place and doesn't have any connection to the rest of the story. It does get annoying as well how much Drew and Claire go back and forth from together to chase and there are points where you are like "Just get together!!! stop wasting our time!".

Overall, I still leave this film finding it enjoyable and a lot of fun. You will have some laughs, you might get touched, and you will enjoy Dunst and Bloom. This film could've been greatness but it falls short to just good. Worth a watch if nothing else is on, but don't expect too much out of it. 3/5.