Though ostensibly an intimate look at the Dixie Chicks after their 2003 anti-Bush remark, the film achieves broader relevance by exploring how media, politics, and celebrities intertwine.
Though ostensibly an intimate look at the Dixie Chicks after their 2003 anti-Bush remark, the film achieves broader relevance by exploring how media, politics, and celebrities intertwine.
Between 1998 and 2002, it seemed the Dixie Chicks could do no wrong. Their first major-label album, Wide Open Spaces, was a smash hit, topping the country charts and eventually selling 12 million copies, while their subsequent albums Fly and Home respectively moved ten and six million units. Their concert tours were consistent sellouts, making them the most commercially successful female group in the history of the recording industry. However, things took an unexpected turn for the Dixie Chicks
in March 2003; with the United States expected to invade Iraq in a matter of days, the group's Texas-born singer Natalie Maines said during a concert in England, "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas." While the spontaneous quip earned cheers during the show, the Dixie Chicks soon found themselves at the center of a firestorm of controversy at home -- radio stations pulled their music from playlists, conservative political commentators organized boycotts and protests against the groups, and during shows the Chicks became the targets of death threats. As Maines and her bandmates Emily Robison and Martie Maguire weathered the storm, they had things of their own to deal with, including marriages, childbirth, and making a new album with producer Rick Rubin. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck teamed up to follow the Dixie Chicks as they recorded their 2006 album Taking the Long Way, fought back against the accusations lobbed against them, and struggled to hold on to their personal lives in the midst of intense media scrutiny. Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing (titled for a comment shouted at them by a fan) was the result; the film became the first documentary to enjoy its world premiere as a Gala Presentation at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
The Dixie Chicks certainly don't shut up, but they do sing in Shut Up & Sing; and while some may wish they'd done more of one or the other, there's no denying the power of this documentary.
The most inspiring element of the film is the genuine fortitude and loyalty that Maines and her bandmates Emily Robinson and Martie Maguire exhibit outwardly and to one another.
Free speech and its ramifications are at the heart of "Shut Up & Sing," which recognizes that for the celebrity, engaging in a public exchange of ideas and opinions isn't always without its costs. The price can be dire.
Shut up & Sings shows that it is all about freedom of speech and expression and how we had better not forget it. Freedom of speech, speaking out and having a voice. Yeah! On to the Grammies Dixie Chicks. You go girls!
They do make a comeback of course - almost stronger than ever - in this, the best documentary of the year so far. Intelligent, honest, heartfelt and fascinating.
This a frank, and slightly scary film about one of America's most cherished democratic privileges - freedom of speech - and how you're more than welcome to it as long as you don't say anything controversial. Then you're off the air.
Succeeds as a summation of America's shaky grasp of freedom. And while the footage of the girls at work and play sometimes seems inconsequential, there are moments that are as unexpectedly pleasing as the band's soft country sounds.
As a music fan, I'm learning towards heavy metal music and rock. However this documentary on country all female band Dixie Chicks is a phenomenal film surrounding the controversy around a comment that Natalie Maines made during a concert. This film chronicles the ordeal the band to face, the numerous threats they had
to endure to regain a foothold in country music. This documentary is terrific, and shows the ignorance of some people perfectly. Even though I don't like Country music, I find what these gals have gone to be atrocious, and I respect them for saying what I believe is a good thing. The film has some sad moments, but also funny moments as Natalie Maines has an intense feud with Toby Keith (she wears a shirt that says F.U.T.K) We all know what that could mean. As a documentary on a band, this is just as entertaining as say Rush Beyond the Lighted Stage and Anvil the story of Anvil! I thought it was a very entertaining documentary, and even for a metalhead like me, I enjoyed this film. This is a terrific music documentary. If you enjoy documentaries of this style give it a shot.
March 3, 2012
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski
Super Reviewer
This film is my first documentary film I've watched... And my feeling is how great this documentary was... Dixie Chicks to go from hero to zero only with a one second word... It's hard if I had to have a hard time like they had... And for Natalie, the lead singer, she's great... And of course the single 'Not Ready To
Make Nice' get them back on the track... A great comeback for them with 5 Grammy this year, nothing would be nicer than that... And of course, this movie is 'nice' too...
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