‘A Mighty Wind’ will confuse or amuse

By satirizing a music genre whose popularity peaked 40 years ago, “A Mighty Wind” winds up breathing some new life into the mostly-forgotten folk scene of the mid-Sixties. Director/ writer Christopher Guest (“Waiting For Guffman,” “Best In Show”) once again employs his “mockumentary” formula and a cast-ful of his familiar friends — including the stars of “Spinal Tap” — to create a film that will amuse some and confuse others.

“A Mighty Wind” follows three fictional acts loosely based on real folk musicians — “Mitch and Mickey” (Ian &Sylvia), “the New Main Street Singers” (the New Christy Minstrels), and “the Folksmen” (the Kingston Trio) — as they reunite and rehearse for a televised memorial concert in honor of Irving Steinbloom, the man responsible for launching their musical careers.

The film’s primary sub-plot concerns the shell-shocked former superstar Mitch (Eugene Levy) as he reluctantly leaves 30 years of institutionalization behind to once again perform with his old partner and unrequited love, the torch-bearing Mickey (Catherine O’Hara). Providing most of the subliminal punchlines is the New Main Street Singers, a huge, too-squeaky-clean-to-be-true ensemble whose lead members have less than wholesome histories. The Singers — who have never broken up, but contain no original members — are managed by Mike LaFontaine (Fred Willard), whose buffoonery induces laugh-out-loud reactions at regular intervals throughout the movie.

While all three acts are convincing, the musical glue holding “A Mighty Wind” together is the Folksmen (Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Guest). Apart from some liberty-taking lyrics and hilarious onstage mannerisms, the straightforward band that this trio of comedic geniuses have created could easily be mistaken for the real thing. Therein lies the movie’s most obvious flaw — the musical performances are possibly too reverent to be “irreverent,” and the acts’ subtly hilarious nuances will be appreciated most by those familiar with the folk music stars of 1965. That leaves at least 50 percent of the audience out in the cold.

A third act of the film seems to be missing, as well. As the rather-short film races towards its climax — the sold-out concert — Guest could have spent more time exploring and exploiting the characters that he’s created — especially the tragically comedic relationship of Mitch and Mickey.

Despite its shortcomings, “A Mighty Wind” features some hilarious, inspired performances. Bob Balaban garners some laughs playing Steinbloom’s frantic, irritating son; Ed Begley, Jr.’s portrayal of a public television producer is completely authentic, and John Michael Higgins and Jane Lynch are a riot as the Main Street Singers’ New Age-addled husband-and-wife leaders. As he does with most of the films in which he’s appeared, Eugene Levy (who also co-wrote the script) almost steals the show with his over-the-top interpretation of a stupored burnout re-immersed in the very environment that caused his mental collapse.

Unlike “O Brother Where Art Thou?” and its traditional Americana, “A Mighty Wind” won’t spark a national revival of folk music. However, it might inspire some of the younger generation to do some web-searching as many parents — or grandparents — fumble in the attic for the dusty, feel-good records of their youth.