Day 10: Prickin' and Trimmin'

So I was thinking today: wouldn't it be a trip if my blog got turned into a movie someday? Do you think Amy Adams could play me?

Anyway, today I watched a nice short happy documentary. Clocking in at 20 mins, I don't think I'll find one shorter than this. Filmed in Drexel, North Carolina, the film centers around a barber shop in the heart of town run by two elderly men, David and Lawrence. Beyond the haircuts and small talk that fill the front parlor, the building is frequently full of local musicians and singers, locals wanting to do nothing but sit around and play music.

The film's focus seems to be the unlikely pairing of live music in a barbershop setting, but what captivated me was the attitudes and tone of America's small towns. Not having spent a lot of time in small towns, I was astonished at the mood and mentality found throughout the men in the film; they were like something straight out of the Andy Griffith Show. I'd never seen a group of people more content with their lives as these guys. They could cut hair and play music for the next 100 years and never grow tired of it. I never had a relationship with my grandparents, so there's an attraction to a generation once removed from what I'm used to.

Maybe it's the result of spending the last 9 months in Chicago but this made me long for the simple slower life of a small town. 1 post office, no subways, where everyone knows your name and vice versa. My favorite part of the film was very subtle- as the old men sit outside and discuss things, as cars go by they all wave at the drivers. That simple act carries a lot of weight, and says a lot about them I think.

My only complaint might be that it was so short. I'd like to know more about these men, their lives, and their day to day routines. But the director chose to keep the film short, and maybe it's for the best-leaves me wanting more.

You can watch it online via Vimeo. The film won a handful of awards and was nominated for an Emmy.
Pickin' and Trimmin'

Here's the trailer

And finally here's a taste of the music they put forth for 3-6 hours every day. Check out the youtube page for more videos about the barbershop.