In 2003, the Dixie Chicks were country music princesses. They were at the top of the charts and their concerts were selling out arenas around the globe. Then, when the U.S. was on the brink of invading Iraq, lead singer Natalie Maines made the statement that they were ashamed that President George W. Bush was from Texas. This began a fervor, which this great documentary intricately documents, making it one the best rock docs ever made.
Part of the backlash from the statement started with country music stations banning their songs, spurred by calls from irate fans. Some stations even sponsored promotions for former fans to bring in their Dixie Chicks CDs to have them run over by a steam shovel. Alienated from their Red State base, the threesome, which also includes sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maquire, had to work on reaching out to new fans. We watch as they prepare for the U.S. leg of their world tour post incident, record their next two albums and strategize on how to handle the predicament and how it has changed their image.
Directors Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck skillfully balance between covering the controversy and presenting a profile of the three women. The intimacy the film creates allows us to look deep inside how the running of such a popular band works. What makes it all the more fascinating is how the uncertainty of fan reaction plays into their decisions. We see the strategy sessions where the Dixie Chicks' supportive manager Simon Renshaw helps them maneuver the minefields, setting the record straight without compromising what they believe in. As we see the interaction between the women, we see how close they are. Maines is tortured over how her words have affected the future success of the band and resentful toward the country industry and fans who said such hateful things about her. At one point, the women are informed that the FBI has received a credible death threat toward them. Country star Toby Keith jumps on the "bash the Dixie Chicks" bandwagon with a shameless PR stunt song, featuring the less than sophisticated lyrics "And you’ll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A… 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way." In her determined style, Maines begins a fashion trend with FUTK t-shirts. And yes, TK stands for Toby Keith.
I didn't like the Dixie Chicks' music before I saw this film and I wasn't converted into a new fan after seeing the movie. However, it did transform me into a fan of Maines, Robison and Maguire. Within the few peeks we get of their rise to stardom, we see the many years of struggle they had to put in to get where they are today. Those early trials have cemented a seemingly everlasting bond. In addition to being a great documentary about current American political attitudes and music, SHUT UP & SING tells a wonderful story of friendship. Even if all the fans go away, Maines still has two of the best friends anyone could ask for.
In America, we so often turn viciously on stars that slip up and fail to uphold the lofty image about them we have created in our minds. Though life is gray, a portion of Dixie Chicks' fans wanted them to be strictly red, white and blue. However in a way, they are just that to a portion of their new fans, who see them as unflinching champions of free speech. This idea closes the film with one of the best closing lines ever.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
