"Nashville doesn't even know what's coming to them." Wheeler (Dorff) is a local Texas musician who is ready to try his luck in Nashville. His childhood friend starts to document his journey. When he gets to Nashville things go exactly like he planned
almost. This is a mock- umentary type movie that really works. Dorff really transforms into this role and that makes the entire thing work brilliantly. The one thing that is very unbelievable though is how fast everything moves for him. Any story a successful musician tells talks about years and years of struggle. Garth Brooks famously got turned down so many times that he left Nashville his first time. Wheeler doesn't have that problem. The music is great, the movie is very good and if you are a fan of movies about music this is definitely one to watch. Overall, the best way to describe this is a type of prequel to Crazy Heart. I liked this one quite a bit. I give this a B.
11 Reviews
Wonderful Surprise
countryshack14 January 2018
Well here was an unexpected candle in the night. Simple little plot; simple little theme, but comfortably carried you through the entire movie.
There won't be any shimmery academy awards given but this movie is well worth the watch. Much better than I expected.
Of course we had just finished watching a dog of a movie called Gold Star so my review of Wheeler could be a little biased.
I will add, if you are a neurotic, nervous, hyper kind of a person you probably should just pass on this one. It will seem too slow for you.
For the rest of the down to earth types, saddle up this horse. I think she's worth the ride.
The story of the legend that never was
leftbanker-14 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I love the heart and spirit of this film. Maybe music isn't your dream—it isn't mine but I play a little—but you can still appreciate this film on a lot of levels. The film plays like a documentary and supposedly all of the music is live performances but I really don't know what that means, in the end it's a movie and not a documentary. Stephen Dorff looks like a fairly competent musician but you never know in movies because they can make people fly. It really doesn't matter one way or the other if he can sing and play guitar and piano because it's the story that matters.
The down side is we are expected to sit through a lot of songs that just aren't what you would call "show stoppers" and in the end it's like going to a local bar and watching open mic night. Granted, it's a decent group of amateurs but nothing really top notch. I would have preferred more story and less music.
The down side is we are expected to sit through a lot of songs that just aren't what you would call "show stoppers" and in the end it's like going to a local bar and watching open mic night. Granted, it's a decent group of amateurs but nothing really top notch. I would have preferred more story and less music.
Inspiring, heartfelt
leyla_marie-5246111 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I think this film could be very inspirational for any up and coming musicians, it shows that people are always looking for the next big thing and it comes down to raw talent being the key to moving forward. I'm surprised how lovely mr dorff sings, I could definitely lay back and listen to a whole album of his.
He really doesn't get the attention he deserves, he needs to be cast in one of the avenger movies 😁
I do warn that there is a lot of music and not much acting, so basically it's a musical. I do wish there was a bit more range of music, some more upbeat songs perhaps but overall it was enjoyable to watch and listen.
I kinda wish it didn't end so tragically, woulda been nice to just end with him on his way to his happy future...
A star is born
Prismark1019 January 2019
Wheeler is a faux documentary about an aspiring country singer Wheeler Bryson (Stephen Dorff.) A 41 year old ordinary guy from Texas who travels to Nashville to make it big as a country singer. Going along with him for the ride is his friend Bobby who documents his endeavours.
In Nashville, Wheeler takes part in some open mic evenings, impresses industry executives and he even gets to meet the legendary Kris Kristofferson. In fact things go swimmingly for Wheeler. His songs are a mixture of new country and folk with Bruce Springsteen like sensibilities.
Apparently Dorff under heavy makeup actually sang in clubs without telling the patrons who he was or that it was being filmed. However I had no idea why this film was being shot as a documentary. Even worse as the film goes on Dorff starts to sing again and again. The songs are not that good.
I actually thought it might be a mockumentary and somewhere it would be played for laughs. However it is all a serious drama and you get the feeling there will be some tragedy involved.
Dorff obviously wants to show his acting and singing chops. The movie is just boring and some of the songs are just dirge.
The most interesting aspect about the film is when Wheeler tells a friend a story about how all Texans are illegal immigrants. People moved there in the 19th century from other parts of the USA as it offered free land and low taxes. It was then owned by Mexico before it became its own country and then joined the rest of the USA. You see not all Texans are rednecks.
In Nashville, Wheeler takes part in some open mic evenings, impresses industry executives and he even gets to meet the legendary Kris Kristofferson. In fact things go swimmingly for Wheeler. His songs are a mixture of new country and folk with Bruce Springsteen like sensibilities.
Apparently Dorff under heavy makeup actually sang in clubs without telling the patrons who he was or that it was being filmed. However I had no idea why this film was being shot as a documentary. Even worse as the film goes on Dorff starts to sing again and again. The songs are not that good.
I actually thought it might be a mockumentary and somewhere it would be played for laughs. However it is all a serious drama and you get the feeling there will be some tragedy involved.
Dorff obviously wants to show his acting and singing chops. The movie is just boring and some of the songs are just dirge.
The most interesting aspect about the film is when Wheeler tells a friend a story about how all Texans are illegal immigrants. People moved there in the 19th century from other parts of the USA as it offered free land and low taxes. It was then owned by Mexico before it became its own country and then joined the rest of the USA. You see not all Texans are rednecks.
I saw no point to this movie... (SPOILER ALERT)
dirtbiking25 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This movie literally has no point to it. Life is good until something bad happens? Well, duh! My 12 year shitzu dog is this imaginative. Not to mention, they did a lousy job selling Wheeler as a "once-in-a-lifetime" musical discovery. Most of the waiters and waitresses in Nashville possess more talent than was displayed in this movie. Had he been playing at one of the local Broadway dives, I would walk past without noticing him.
I'm shocked anyone of import in the Nashville music scene signed up to be in this travesty.
I'm shocked anyone of import in the Nashville music scene signed up to be in this travesty.
Great soundtrack and moving story
houseoburgesses-8783716 January 2018
Trivia
alpha-730329 August 2022
Not Bad
clayhanika8 May 2019
Stephen Dorff does a pretty good job here. I tend to like him in a variety of roles. I think he is underrated as an actor. I thought the music was pretty good and the story was pretty good. I understand artists toil for years before getting discovered but it's a fictional movie so you have to just sit back, curb the cynicism, and enjoy.
Very good story. An unconventional film.
latinfineart5 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed this film. It was a great story, well written and a tremendous performance from Stephen Dorff. It was a very unconventional film, done as a documentary, about a fictitious character so there was a little bit of a guessing game going on as it felt like a real biopic, but that was part of the charm of the production. It was truly a story about hope, dreams, redemption and was quite inspiring.
Working with Nashville vet Bobby Tomberlin, a Dorff family friend, they accentuated the country elements in Dorff's writing and conceived a character to build a movie around: Wheeler Bryson, a cowboy from Kaufman, Texas, who moves to Nashville to try his hand at professional songwriting. "We wanted to show the journey a singer/songwriter would have to take if he drove up to Nashville: showing up, playing an open mike, who would you have to meet to get to the next step." They decided to shoot the movie documentary-style, with real locals and music-industry folk in every scene. And since they wanted their cast of non-professional actors to respond as if Wheeler were a nobody, not a movie star, they made Dorff unrecognizable, with a prosthetic lip and nose, bushy eyebrows, and a Texas drawl.
It was my second time viewing the film. I think I had a better grasp of it.
Working with Nashville vet Bobby Tomberlin, a Dorff family friend, they accentuated the country elements in Dorff's writing and conceived a character to build a movie around: Wheeler Bryson, a cowboy from Kaufman, Texas, who moves to Nashville to try his hand at professional songwriting. "We wanted to show the journey a singer/songwriter would have to take if he drove up to Nashville: showing up, playing an open mike, who would you have to meet to get to the next step." They decided to shoot the movie documentary-style, with real locals and music-industry folk in every scene. And since they wanted their cast of non-professional actors to respond as if Wheeler were a nobody, not a movie star, they made Dorff unrecognizable, with a prosthetic lip and nose, bushy eyebrows, and a Texas drawl.
It was my second time viewing the film. I think I had a better grasp of it.
I'm such an idiot!
Maxax77726 July 2021
I'm such an idiot - I actually thought this WAS a documentary at first! Lol - but nonetheless, I enjoyed it! It keep me interested - but I couldn't help but keep thinking to myself, he's really NOT that great of a singer!!! Lol.
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