Stronger than you’d think

Too often, movies studded with big actors attempting to double as musicians fail in their attempts to tell a good story. “Country Strong,” starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw, is a heartfelt attempt that might appeal to only a portion of audience members.
 
Directed and written by Shana Feste, the film is a vehicle to showcase Paltrow’s versatile abilities and McGraw’s potential as a serious actor. A former country superstar, Kelly Canter (Paltrow) has one more chance to show her fans (and the tabloids) that her once potent talent won’t be outweighed by alcohol and overall interpersonal issues. Leighton Meester and Garrett Hedlund, the young aspiring stars chosen to cushion Canter’s on-tour breakdowns rather than for their talent, are both very watchable as musicians and actors. 

“Country Strong” gets annoying only when the music becomes the most perfected feature of production, which means that if you don’t like country music, you won’t like the film.
If it weren’t for the overbearing characters, “Country Strong” could have been a journey, like that of Canter’s, with more depth.