Music has always been a source of inspiration for writer/director/actor/producer Mickey Reece. For his ethereal CLIMATE OF THE HUNTER, he took inspiration from Scott Walker’s 1984 album. His film MICKEY REECE’S ALIEN explored Elvis’ early years long before Austin Butler took the stage, and for the evocatively titled STRIKE, DEAR MISTRESS, AND CURE HIS HEART, Reece turned to the classic Velvet Underground song, “Venus in Furs.” So naturally, his latest excursion into the world of country music for COUNTRY GOLD makes total sense. BUT, as fans of the prolific Oklahoma-based indie film auteur know, no Mickey Reece film is ever as simple as it seems.
Hot off its World Premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, COUNTRY GOLD is a trip. In a story that starts simple enough, up-and-coming country star Troyal Brux (Reece) gets a letter from his idol, country icon George Jones (Ben Hall). Having seen an interview where Troyal mentions his admiration, Jones invites him to Nashville to hang out. However, things take a very Mickey Reece-like turn when Jones drops a bomb on the starstruck Troyal. This night of drinking and swapping stories isn’t just a chance for two good ol’ boys to get to know each other; it’s actually Jones’ last night. Ever. In the morning, he will be cryogenically frozen and wants Troyal to party with him one last time.
Written by Reece and his frequent collaborator John Selvidge, COUNTRY GOLD is a playful, labyrinthine exploration of fame, celebrity mythology, art, and immortality. Set in 1994, Troyal is a blatantly clear stand-in for Garth Brooks. Delivering a perfectly awkward and captivating performance, Reece wears the cowboy hat and boldly checkered shirt well. Speaking mainly in colloquialisms and witticisms, Troyal juggles fame, ego, and reverence for country music’s rich history. Incredibly humorous, the apparent naivete that innocently seeps out of Troyal is gloriously cringy. Not without purpose, this inflated sense of self speaks to the natural and manufactured weight that celebrity status can carry.
As George Jones, actor Ben Hall delivers a performance for the books. Cynical, haggard, and brassy, the years of hard living and fame linger around him like a fog of whiskey vapor. Simultaneously iconic and forgotten, Jones tests Troyal’s fandom with his egotistical actions, questionable friends, bad behavior, and fabricated life stories. In doing so, the value of artistic creation and its natural immortality gets subtly called into question. Troyal’s mind swirls with thoughts, “What becomes of a legend once the crowds stop cheering? What becomes of the art they leave behind? And what will I become of me?”
Despite COUNTRY GOLD’s gentle explorations of some complicated and theoretical ideas, it never loses its friskiness. Spliced between the main narrative are tangential stories spun from Jones’ imagination, animated segments that call back to the illustration style of classic country album art, and a dreamy detour that reveals Troyal’s alter ego that bears a striking resemblance to Chris Gaines. It’s a delicate dance of tones, and one Reece performs well. Rather than focusing on the fancy footwork established by the decades of indie cinema before him, Reece busts out his own original moves yet again.
Surprisingly comedic and painfully melancholy, COUNTRY GOLD plays like a cinematic country classic. The only thing missing is a dog. Ripe with genuine laughs, cheeky prestige, and a tender touch, it flows with a lyricism even the best songwriters would envy. In short, COUNTRY GOLD is wonderfully weird and amusingly absurd, much like Mickey Reece himself. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what magical madness he comes up with next.
Tags: Ben Hall, Chris Gaines, Climate of the Hunter, Country Gold, Elvis, Fantasia Film Festival, Fantasia Film Festival 2022, Film Festivals, Garth Brooks, John Selvidge, Mickey Reece, Mickey Reece's Alien, Scott Walker, Strike Dear Mistress And Cure His Heart, Velvet Underground
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