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For folks like myself who have lived in the area for a while, this is an interesting little episode. For those who've never been here, it does give a pretty good feel for the ambiance of the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

In fact, I may actually know Charles Durning's character from my youth. The town I'm from is south of Ashland but had more than its share of characters... one of them built an early version of a go-cart with a 12HP, two-man chain saw motor and forgot to put brakes on it. He said it was scary going down the road, waiting to run out of gas but the looks on motorist's faces when he passed them made it worth the risk.

Thank you, Mr. Shepard for such an outstanding job of displaying what is humorous about us without insulting us.

This little movie makes the list of my top 20 favorites. Not really profound but very entertaining and filled with interesting characters. After a time in Nashville, I was convinced that there was no such thing as a "Country" musician because of the constant blending of styles and musical backgrounds. This movie points out that process very well with a Country band consisting of a Jazz drummer, Rock guitarist, Classical pianist/arranger, and Country leader. One reason I rank it so high is the presence of real musicians and the quality of their performance. Another is my natural gratitude for the introduction to Lisa Brokop. It's ensconced on my TIVO wish list with an auto-record any time it's shown!