Song to Song

Austin has dubbed itself the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Apparently venerable filmmaker Terrance Malick loves live music, and he lives in Austin. And so his latest project, Song to Song, is a love letter of sorts to the city’s concert scene.

Yet like much of the suddenly prolific auteur’s recent work, it’s more about style than substance, with intoxicating visuals — shot mostly using a fisheye lens and a constantly moving camera — supplementing an emotionally hollow romance.

Specifically, it follows Faye (Rooney Mara) as she traverses Austin and the surrounding area while drifting in and out of relationships with a musician (Ryan Gosling) and a record producer (Michael Fassbender), the latter of whom might be able to provide Faye with a career boost despite a darker side that reveals itself later. None of them seems interested in full-fledged commitment, however, despite flirtatious overtures on all sides.

The film shifts its mood from playful to unsettling to contemplative, exploring familiar themes of obsession, jealousy and fragile relationships. “I thought we could just live from song to song and kiss to kiss,” laments Faye in a typical expression of despair.

Those familiar with Austin will appreciate the many landmarks on display. And music aficionados can enjoy cameo appearances by Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. Val Kilmer shows up, too, in a memorable turn. Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Holly Hunter also pop in briefly.

However, eventually the whole exercise starts to feel tedious and repetitive. Malick’s screenplay, at least the parts that weren’t improvised, includes rambling narration from shifting points of view that bogs down in self-indulgent brooding and existential mumbo-jumbo.

While scattered sequences are powerful, especially when paired with a diverse array of musical selections, the cumulative impact is muddled. As a result, while the characters struggle to make connections — despite the physical intimacy created by the camera — moviegoers can unintentionally relate in their effort to develop any meaningful emotional investment.

Malick’s films are always difficult to dismiss because of his vision and craftsmanship, not to mention his incorporation of top-shelf talent on both sides of the camera. Yet Song to Song never finds a consistently satisfying rhythm.

Rated R, 129 minutes.