A Prairie Home Companion

Fans of Garrison Keillor's NPR radio show will enjoy seeing its genially homespun spirit transferred to the big screen, but for most audiences A Prairie Home Companion, directed by Robert Altman in his customarily loose style, will seem thin and ephemeral. The bulk of the picture—essentially a long, episodic flashback sandwiched between sequences in which some of the major characters congregate in a fairy-tale diner some time later—purports to be a behind-the-scenes record of the final “Prairie Home Companion” show, which is being axed by a money-grubbing conglomerate in order to tear down the theatre. As the unflappable Keillor goes about his hosting duties with a hangdog expression on his face, the coverage shuffles among performers played by the likes of Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan, Woody Harrelson, and John C. Reilly, with Kevin Kline as the slick company manager. Also on hand is a strange interloper, an ethereal woman in a trench coat (Virginia Madsen) who is—I'm afraid—the Angel of Death, wandering about observing and occasionally intruding on the action, especially when the brusque head of the conglomerate (Tommy Lee Jones) shows up. But the plot is just an excuse for songs, lighthearted “commercials,” and bits of overlapping conversation—all good-natured and mildly amusing, but ultimately rather negligible. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Robert Altman and costar Kevin Kline, the 49-minute behind-the-scenes documentary “Come Play with Us: A Feature Companion,” “Onstage at the Fitzgerald: A Musical Companion” with extended musical performances (30 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a so-so film.] (F. Swietek)