movie minute

Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines. Do you know who these three women are? They are the members of the best selling female country group in the USA. The Dixie Chicks. And they are the subject of the documentary Shut Up And Sing (R). The film charts the Chicks from 2003 to 2006 and their heyday in 2003 to their drop in sales and popularity in 2006 to the release of their new album in 2006. The Chicks were doing a concert in London in 2003 on the eve of the start of the Iraq war when lead singer Natalie Maines made a small statement that turned into a firestorm. What Maines said, "we're ashamed that Bush is from Texas," turned the Chicks into pariahs and caused cities in the US to destroy and trash their cds. Should celebrities, singers, entertainers speak their minds or enter into the realm of politics? Can Toby Keith show a picture of Maines with Saddam Hussein and not get one negative comment while Maines makes one comment and receive a death threat? These are but a couple of questions the movie ponders as we see the impact on the band as a result of Maines's statement.

One man in the movie espouses that he is all for free speech but it shouldn't be done on foreign soil if it is against the US. Isn't that contrary to free speech? And Maines's comment was not against the US and it wasn't even that inflammatory but it was turned into a media event.

The movie is set against the music of the Chicks and it follows them as they deal with the aftermath and subsequent healing. The movie also touches on the beginnings of the band. Maines is not the original lead singer and the two sisters, Maguire and Robison, have been in the band since the beginning. It's an enlightening and emotional film with some very candid moments. At times Maines comes across as rigid and seemingly unaware that actions have consequences but it's a tribute to the three women that they stick together through very thick and extremely thin.

One other interesting part of this film is knowing how far the situation in Iraq has devolved since 2003 when Bush's approval ratings were high and people were certain that the war would be over quickly. As one person in the film says to the Chicks as they prepare for an interview, "it (the war) could be over tomorrow." Also it is now in vogue to criticize Bush and the war in song. Many artists have done so since Maines's outburst including Green Day, The Rolling Stones, and Neil Young.

As the film comes to an end we see them just finishing and promoting the album that they released this year, "Taking The Long Way." We also see that it is possible for a family and the human spirit to overcome adversity and hatred. Taking is by far one of the best albums of the year and it hit #1 on the Country Album chart, as well as the Top Albums chart, without any airplay. The album was recently recognized as such with multiple grammy nominations. It's a no holds barred documentary worth seeing if you are a Dixie Chicks fan and feel free to wear your shirt with the letters F.U.T.K.

bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3.75

paul