One Trick Pony (1980)

Director:

Robert M. Young

Writer:

Paul Simon (writer)

Release Date:

3 October 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Rock 'n' roll will give you some laughs...but it won't do you any favors.

Plot:

Jonah (Paul Simon) is an aging rock star trying to put together a new album in the face of an indifferent record label and a talentless producer. At the same time, he's struggling to save his failing marriage. |

Plot Keywords:

Failing Marriage | Loner | Rock Music | Musician | Falling Star

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Paul Simon	...	Jonah
Blair Brown	...	Marion
Rip Torn	...	Walter Fox
Joan Hackett	...	Lonnie Fox
Allen Garfield	...	Cal van Damp (as Allan Goorvitz)
Mare Winningham	...	Modeena Dandridge
Michael Pearlman	...	Matty Levin
Lou Reed	...	Steve Kunelian
Steve Gadd	...	Danny Duggin
Eric Gale	...	Lee-Andrew Parker
Tony Levin	...	John DiBatista
Richard Tee	...	Clarence Franklin
Harry Shearer	...	Bernie Wepner
Kate Pierson	...	Herself (as The B-52s)
Fred Schneider	...	Himself (as The B-52s)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

During the film's credits, Paul Simon & co. (The Jonah Levin Band) are shown driving through what is ostensibly a highway between Cleveland's airport and The City. The footage is actually Route 22, in Union, New Jersey.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jonah and Matty practice baseball in the park, the ball is returned to Jonah by someone obviously taller than eight-year-old Matty.

Quotes:

Jonah: Anna Freud came backstage last week -- Anna Freud. She sold us some blow.

Movie Connections:

References Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Soundtrack:

Late In The Evening

Coulda-Shoulda-etc.

This reminds me of another movie involving intricate characters, great music, and a radio station. It was called "Choose Me" (1984), and was I have to say a much better-coherent-film.

One Trick Pony starts off promisingly, but falls short as some sequences seem to be extended in order to accomodate Paul Simon's excellent music (ie, long pans across city scapes as Simon and his band ride from gig to gig in their van). It also looks as though large chunks were edited out, in order to cut it's running time down; Such as when Simon meets Mare Winnigham (Saint Elmo's Fire) after a gig, then ends up sleeping with her, then is seen leaving her house without as much as a goodbye...Maybe that was the point, to show us his ephemeral lifestyle on the road. But I dunno though, as Simon's acting also leaves a lot to be desired. But then, he's a singer.

Blair Brown (Altered States)is good as his ex wife who he seems to sleep with whenever he's depressed about something(???). But otherwise it's an atmospheric (due to the music) but unremarkable film, and could''ve been so much more.