by Erik Sean McGiven on Jul 22, 2009

Personal demons and backstage battles are the essence of this heartfelt documentary about the dreams of stardom on the strip-mall stages of Branson, MO.  Set in the entertainment capital of Middle America, "Branson" documents the lives of several performers pursuing their childhood dreams to entertain while facing the harsh realities of getting older and a struggling economy.  For this engaging and often heartbreaking film, director Brent Meeski followed the performers of three acts playing at a Branson strip mall, two in actual theaters and one in a food court, through their ups and downs of three seasons.  Offstage, they wait tables, sell gadgets at mall kiosks, perform for tips or meals and sell CDs at gas stations--all to make ends meet.

The film came about by accident when the cast of a reality TV pilot abandoned the director in Branson.  Brent decided to utilize his crew for the remainder of the trip by shooting some behind the scenes material of the show "#1 Hits of the 60's." 

But the real find in this documentary is the incredibly talented Johnny Cash impersonator Jackson Cash.  In the film he remarks that when he has a cold he sounds more like Johnny Cash than the legend himself.  The two have similar journeys to stardom.  Both had to deal with personal demons: drugs and drinking.  And such struggles likely led to the honesty and clarity of their performances; being able to talk about them and use them as inspiration for their music. 

"Branson" is a look inside the world of entertainment and likely a look back at what vaudeville might have been like.  To almost all the performers featured, there is a love of being on stage, receiving laughs and applause.  It's not so much a job, but more a calling.  Yet tragically, it can't go on forever and it's those crossroads the film so poignantly addresses.  One act throws in the towel and returns to regular jobs in New York.  Yet the couple still perform part-time, one-man plays, birthdays, weddings.  The sixties show struggled on for another year.  Jackson Cash makes up the major portion of dramatic material in this film.  He walked away as the star. 

At the screening I attended, Jackson Cash serve up a remarkable live performance after the film.  He received a standing ovation, in part for his music, but more so for opening up about his life for all to see, both the good and the bad.    People walked out of that theatre with admiration and respect for the man.   That's remarkable for any documentary.

FEATURES: Jackson Cash, Amber Campbell, Geoffrey Hastings Haberer, Peggy Lee Brennan-Haberer, Terry Wayne, Nita Tate, Eric Eichenberger, Patrick Schuster, Angela Walker, Blake Walker, Jim Mock, Jr.  Directed by Brent Meeske; Producer: Brent Meeske, Jack Blac, Ben Cooley, Justin Moore-Lewy, Charlie Mason; Screenwriter: Brent Meeske; Cinematographer: Brian Zarin; Editor: Brent Meeske; Music: John Gold.  Running Time: 94 Minutes.