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Grand Theft Parsons (2004)
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Reviews Counted:27
Fresh:12
Rotten:15
Average Rating:5.4/10
Synopsis: The world of rock & roll is littered with casualties who have only found fame posthumously. One of the most famous cases is that of Gram Parsons. Erstwhile member of The Byrds and The Flying... The world of rock & roll is littered with casualties who have only found fame posthumously. One of the most famous cases is that of Gram Parsons. Erstwhile member of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, Parsons also eked out an impressive--in terms of music, as opposed to sales--solo career for himself. A great friend and drinking buddy of Keith Richards, Gram's heartfelt songs may have fallen on deaf ears during his short lifetime, but his lasting influence helped spawn the country-rock genre. His drug-related death at the Joshua Tree Inn in California on September 19th, 1973, forms the basis for this tale. Only 26 years old at the time, Gram had made a pact with his road manager Phil Kaufman (played here by JACKASS star Johnny Knoxville) to burn his corpse in the desert if he succumbed to the early death that so many of his talented predecessors had succumbed to. The absorbing tale of Kaufman's unusual race to complete his deed form the basis for GRAND THEFT PARSONS, with director David Caffrey using many of the original locations in which the act took place. A touching story of friendship, loyalty and trust, this is one of the most unique rock & roll tales ever committed to film. [More]
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Christina Applegate, Robert Forster, Michael Shannon
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Christina Applegate, Robert Forster, Michael Shannon, Marley Shelton
Director: David Caffrey
Director: David Caffrey
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Reviews for Grand Theft Parsons
Don't let Knoxville's Jackass pedigree put you off - he can be subtle as well as gross.
A rock'n'roll road movie like no other. Wherever he is, Gram should get a kick out of it.
Grand Theft Parsons showcases some of Parsons's songs, but ... in the end it is a tribute to a man who stayed true to his word.
Inspired by a true story, pic travels down familiar genre highways, but quirky humor and an apt soundtrack make for a pleasant enough journey.
Caffrey keeps the energy level high, and has populated the supporting roles with the most comical-looking character types ever assembled outside of a David Lynch film.
Fans of the low-budget indie scene and rock 'n' roll historians should enjoy this unpretentious, sweet-natured take on an incident that already seemed like something out of the movies.
What I responded to most about Grand Theft Parsons is that it tells the story without excess sentimentality...a funny, engaging movie that’s worth seeking out.
As a mildly engaging and well-intentioned 'road flick', it's much better than it should have been and certainly less commanding than it probably could have been.
Since his death in 1973, the country singer Gram Parsons's legend has become a figure of worshipful legend, to which this rambling, low-key movie makes a modest contribution.
An incredible true story unnecessarily embellished with banal fictitious details
Gram Parsons' last rites were among the most extraordinary in rock history. Too bad this retelling of the singer's final adventure is so tame.
It's given a low-key treatment that only serves to highlight the parts that don't seem logical, but the outgoing performances make it watchable, if not especially memorable.
What could have served as a colorful episode in a more expansive film about the famed singer has instead become the premise of a mildly entertaining but overextended road movie that doesn't succeed on either dramatic or comedic terms.
The Phil-Larry dynamic makes up most of the movie and the strain of turning an anecdote into an demi-epic can be felt throughout the movie.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
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