A few months ago, I heard about Bill Murray's newest movie in which he plays a talent manager who finds a unique singing voice in Afghanistan. Recently a new trailer and release date came out.
Having read and written about female singers (and rappers) in Afghanistan, I am curious how this will play out. Will it be accurate? Will they mention any real world Afghan voices? That would be impressive.
I also wonder where the movie takes place. From the trailer, Bill Murray lands in a major airfield. There are only a few of them in Afghanistan. His location will play a big role in threats and situations he will be in. Even the weather and scenery are different depending on the region.
From her brief appearance in the trailer, the Kate Hudson character intrigues me. Who is she and what role does she play?
The out-of-place foreigner who relies on wit and charm is typical Bill Murray role. I hope Rock the Kasbah isn't too much like Lost in Translation meets School of Rock. That would be predictable, boring, and almost insulting to the plight of artists/musicians/creatives in Afghanistan, many of whom are threatened by violence everyday for trying to express themselves.
But if this movie has a serious underlying message, it could be really good. And the struggle of artists, singers, and creative people worldwide needs a good international movie to rally around. I'm skeptical that an American movie starring Bill Murray will carry that much weight.
It would be great if proceeds from Rock the Kasbah went to support international artists funds or creative endeavors in Afghanistan. But if this is another "fish-out-of-water" Bill Murray movie - one combined with a white man's burden and inaccuracies about Afghanistan - it has a chance to be really, really bad.
We will see on October 23rd.
