THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER: FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE – A Review by John Strange
I come from a family that had a wide variety of musical influences. Through my daddy, I learned about Country Music (note the capital letters). In his truck we listened to the local country stations play George Jones, Tom T. Hall, and so many others of the day. On Saturday nights we watched Porter Wagoner, Glen Campbell, and the Mandrell Sisters on TV in our living room, singing along upon occasion.
Rock and Roll came via my older brother who taught me about the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Cream, and so many others.
But this review returns me to those country roots and my love of the music of one rebellious young lady, Miss Tanya Tucker.
Reviewing The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile was such an easy decision to make. The documentary follows Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker as they prep and record Tanya’s 2019 album, “While I’m Livin’”. The story is full of reminiscences by Tanya of her life and her experiences.
The story continues after the album is completed s we are allowed to see the intimate album release party and then all the way through to the 2020 Grammy Awards.
We see a lady who honestly thought her music days were behind her following the death of her father, the only manager she had ever had. We see Brandi, brought together with Tanya by her co-producer on the album, Shooter Jennings. Shooter has DEEP roots in country music, being the son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. These two talented folks, Brandi and Shooter, helped Tanya re-discover her music and create an amazing album.
I loved the heart in this documentary. I loved the music every bit as much. This is a great film for you to re-discover your love for a lady whose idol was Elvis Presley (explains some or all of her live shows). The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile is a 5-star story.
Director: Kathlyn Horan
Cast: Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker
MPAA Rating: R (for language)
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: 108 Min.
Release Date: 10/28/2022
Local Release Locations: Angelika Film Center & Café – Dallas, AMC NorthPark 15 (Dallas), Cinemark West Plano XD and ScreenX
Language: English
Movie Site: THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER: FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE Official Site
Trailer: THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER: FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE Official Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
