Jim James, lead singer of My Morning Jacket.

I was fortunate enough to attend a special event this past weekend in Seattle. Cameron unveiled 22 minutes of Elizabethtown footage at the Northwest Film Forum for the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS). Cameron was on hand to introduce the footage – he described the film as “a comedy about getting connected to your roots” that is “filled with music”. The footage included Drew’s (Orlando Bloom) memorable first encounter with Claire (Kirsten Dunst), his arrival into Elizabethtown, and a montage of other scenes set to music. I’m sure you want some of my impressions (without spoiling the plot), so here goes.

It was amazing to see these images on screen that I’ve been imagining for a few years now. Orlando is spot on and heartbreaking. As I predicted when she was first attached to the film, Kirsten WILL steal your heart. She is adorable and you can’t help but fall in love with her. I think Cameron has really captured the essence of this small town ( Drew sees signs in memory of his Dad in store front windows and everyone waves to him as he rolls into town ). As always, music plays a lead role in the film and Nancy’s score captures the scene beautifully. All of the music is not in place yet, but it looks to be intriguing as usual. I can’t wait see the final film.

Lastly, Cameron introduced Jim James, lead singer of My Morning Jacket, who entertained the small audience with a great acoustic set. It was my first experience hearing Jim’s music and I can see why it captivated Cameron. His music has a haunting quality and it sticks with you long after the final note. Jim even has a small role in the movie. Stay tuned for all the latest news on Elizabethtown…