First Impressions: Mariah Carey in Tennessee

Retna Ltd.

OK, now I know this may be shocking for some to hear after the debacle that was Glitter—but (hold the phone) the newly premiered Tennessee starring Mariah Carey did not totally suck! This may be hard for some to believe given the singers penchant for over the top antics and outfits, but Mimi actually turns in a relatively subtle and nuanced performance as a waitress cum singer who tags along with a brothers Carter and Ellis on a quest to find their long lost alcoholic father. After running away from his abusive ways years ago, they are searching for their father on a desperate search for a life saving bone marrow match as a result of Ellis’ Leukemia diagnosis. Along the way their car breaks down in Texas where they befriend Mimi’s character Krystal, the singing waitress with a heart of gold who takes them in and eventually joins them on their quest in an attempt to escape her own demons. Their journey leads them, where else? To Tennessee, of course! Krystal hopes to start up a new career as a singer/songwriter and the boys hope to find their father and in turn a cure for little brother Ellis.

Tennessee provides an interesting twist on the classic road trip movie, which at the start felt a little too much like Y Tu Mama Tambien for me. But after the bizarre sexual tension is dispelled, the relationship between the brothers and Krystal starts to make more sense. She provides Ellis and jaded older brother Carter with hope and inspiration, something sorely missing during their hard-scrabble existence with their single mom and her untimely death. The boys on the other hand provide Krystal with the jump start she needs to get up and out of the life she has found herself stuck in. There was even a touching scene in which Mariah finally decides to leave her hard drinking, alpha male husband while shedding silent tears and we would be lying if we said we didn’t feel her pain.

By the end of this film, there was barely a dry eye in the house. All in all, Mimi succeeds in playing a likeable, engaging character. Although Oscar nominations may not be in the future for the superstar singer, cast correctly she proves that she can hold her own on the silver screen.

- Mariela Rosario