‘Country Strong’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Liz Kelly
December 15, 2020 · Country Strong (2010) · Drama · Music · 1:38:55 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsMentions having someone in What's Aged the Worst but doesn't reveal who or why in this segment▶ 32:33
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsGwyneth's first scene where she helps rewrite the song with 'timing is everything'▶ 39:09
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsShe's randomly in a rehab center with this country western prodigy who's a janitor slash sponsor - what are the odds?▶ 40:38
Bill SimmonsWhen Bo saves Childs from bombing, somehow he's not mic'd but sounds great when he comes waltzing in with the guitar▶ 42:17
Bill SimmonsIt's unclear whether Bo likes Childs or not - he has no respect for her musically but real affection for her, he's threatened by her but saves her when she's bombing. His motivation is unclear other than 'she's hot'▶ 42:24
Liz KellyShe has a huge tour crew and bus with six people around her at all times - couldn't they have brought a legitimate sponsor too? The problem is when she falls off the rails, her sponsor Garrett Hedlund is nowhere to be found because he's performing on stage as the janitor▶ 40:52
What's Aged the Best
Amanda DobbinsThe movie being dismissive of going outside country music to find success (though notes this also aged worst)▶ 1:01:46
Bill SimmonsTim McGraw's 'I'm so psyched, she's killing it' face on the side of the stage - his practiced expression with pursed lips and half smile▶ 1:02:18
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsThe tour manager dude that she was sleeping with (the creepy guy who Garrett Hedlund walks in on)▶ 1:11:06
Liz KellyTim McGraw — Originally wrote down Tim McGraw but was told by producer that's not a 'that guy' since he's too famous/recognizable▶ 1:11:33
Dion Waiters Award
Amanda DobbinsAgrees with the bird pick and adds criticism about the bird's survival in the box▶ 1:13:41
Half-Assed Internet Research
Amanda DobbinsIdentified Better Man as most famous Pearl Jam song, described the Dallas goodbye scene between Gwyneth and Garrett, discussed Gwyneth as Kelly Taylor and career implications▶ 1:18:05
Bill SimmonsShared multiple trivia facts: Garrett Hedlund auditioned singing Pearl Jam at karaoke bar, took 4 months to learn guitar/voice lessons, Gwyneth emailed RDJ about addiction research, director's story about Garrett crying during Gwyneth's performance, Gwyneth lost Kelly Taylor role to Jenny Garth and turned down The Ring▶ 1:17:53
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsLeighton Meester — Gwyneth Paltrow: no, Garrett Hedlund: this was his lost apex mountain (should have been but wasn't), Tim McGraw: no, Leighton Meester: yes, Country Music: no, Nashville: no, Movies about alcoholic self-destructive singers who died at the end: no▶ 1:21:31
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDiscussed how long Leighton Meester would actually stay with Garrett Hedlund - depends on her fame level at the time, predicted she'd get caught up in celebrity culture again and eventually date Bo for publicity▶ 1:31:22
Liz KellyHow long would Leighton Meester actually stay in Oxnard with Garrett Hedlund before wanting to be a celebrity again - predicts 3-4 weeks on the farm▶ 1:30:57
Movies Referenced (32)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sing (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly | ▶ 16:19 |
| A Star Is Born (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly | ▶ 3:11 |
| Friday Night Lights (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 22:35 |
| Titanic (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 19:25 |
| Black Swan (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:14 |
| Shakespeare in Love (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:19 |
| Identity (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Liz Kelly | ▶ 1:10:48 |
| Iron Man (2008) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 11:39 |
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:07:58 |
| Smile (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:26 |
| 2012 (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:28:44 |
| Before We Go (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:15 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Colorado | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Hancock | ▶ 0:32 |
| Ang Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | Life of Pi | ▶ 24:45 |
| Dee Rees | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 24:46 | |
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 26:39 |
| Oliver Stone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK | ▶ 45:59 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 9:15 |
| Peter Berg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Very Bad Things | ▶ 25:28 |
Actors Referenced (63)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwyneth Paltrow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 85 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Liz Kelly | Shakespeare in Love | ▶ 5:42 |
| Garrett Hedlund | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 30 | Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 4:27 | |
| Tim McGraw | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly, Amanda Dobbins | Friday Night Lights, The Blind Side | ▶ 25:22 |
| Leighton Meester | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 21 | Liz Kelly, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | That's My Boy | ▶ 29:20 |
| Courtney Love | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | Man on the Moon | ▶ 9:19 |
| Kate Winslet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Revolutionary Road, Titanic | ▶ 17:18 |
| Chris Martin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Liz Kelly, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:25 | |
| Nashville Pussy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:49 | |
| Natalie Portman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Black Swan | ▶ 6:14 |
| Pearl Jam | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly, Amanda Dobbins | Big Fish | ▶ 1:17:53 |
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 9:28 |
| Britney Spears | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Liz Kelly | ▶ 29:28 |
Writers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:06 | |
| Brad Falchuk | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Liz Kelly, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 1:35:41 | |
| Taylor Worst | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 32:33 |