Picking Nits
The opening geography, Jackson’s contemporary arena-level fame, the instant “Shallow” arrangement, unaccounted-for night hours, and the effort to make Sam Elliott a plausible brother are questioned.
In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:44Read transcript
- The drive from the opening venue to East Hollywood and then Jackson’s house produces unresolved geography.
- The panel questions whether a Jackson Maine-style country-rock star could still sell out venues at that scale.
- “Shallow” appears fully arranged even though the parking-lot conversation contains separate fragments and no rehearsal.
- The dark parking lot and daylight drop-off leave several unexplained hours.
- One theory says the couple finished writing the song during those hours; another adds sex, which the panel disputes.
- The movie’s otherwise grounded intimacy makes the instant musical arrangement feel especially artificial.
- Repeated family exposition strains to make Sam Elliott and Bradley Cooper plausible brothers.