Instant Favorite.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

An old womans (Peggy Hickey) death in a small Texas town sets off a firestorm within the family. Her sister Sissy Hickey (Beth Grant) tries to calm down Peggy's children--uptight Latrelle (a wonderful Bonnie Bedelia) and sassy Lavonda (Ann Walker). Also Latrelle wants her gay son Ty (Kirk Geiger) to come to Texas for the funeral...but he's out in LA and never told anyone he's gay and is sick of keeping it a secret. Then there's Peggy's son Brother Boy (Leslie Jordan) was has been institutionalized because he's gay. THEN there's G.W. (Beau Bridges) who was cheating on his wife Noleta (Delta Burke) with Peggy and feels guilty about her death.This played all summer long back in 2002 in Provincetown MA (a small town with a large gay population during the summer). I never saw it there but got it on DVD the next year at the urging of some friends. THEN it just sat on my shelf for ten years till I watched it last night. My friends kept saying it's an unheralded masterpiece. You know what? They're wrong. It's really not that good. It DOES have some funny parts and the acting was great all around especially by Bedelia, Burke and Geiger (who it seems has quit show business--this was his last film to date). There's also a scene with Geiger and several totally nude men which some people may enjoy. Olivia Newton-John pops up also singing a few songs (especially the title song which is great). But, I found this more caustic and vicious than funny. The constant screaming and yelling got annoying and the treatment of Brother Boy at the institution was just horrific. Also the eccentric residents of a small Texas town are easy targets and have been done many times before. Maybe if I saw it with an audience it would work better (it was a big hit in PTown and Palm Springs) but, as it is, I was not impressed. A 6 all the way.

Del Shores directed and wrote this adaptation of his own play about how an elderly woman's (comical) accidental death causes her family and friends to rue her passing while digging up ancient misgivings. Low-budget film played the Palm Springs movie circuit for months but didn't hit many other towns; easy to see why, it's rather like an R-rated sitcom lost on the big screen. While Shores isn't exactly erratic as a director, he's possibly too flexible with his material and his group of actors, and the movie sometimes resembles nothing more than a stunt. There's not much plot (it's just an exercise in showcasing the worst possible sides of humanity for a dirty laugh), yet some good things do come out of this. Leslie Jordan pulls off a difficult transvestite role with un-self-conscious relish; not played for pitiable sympathy or all-out laughs, Jordan's Tammy Wynette-worshipping drag queen amiably walks a fine line--it's a portrayal dead-on in its accuracy, and Jordan is never a pain like the other characters. Delta Burke and Bonnie Bedelia visibly strain to punch up their scenes, while Olivia Newton-John opens the picture with a rousing song but is given nothing else important to do. Too many of the gags are recycled, rehashed and rerun, and the jokes tend to stem from various humiliations. Strictly as a curiosity, the movie certainly lives up to its oddball reputation, and there are some outré laughs for those in the proper spirit. ** from ****

I am usually one who loves effects and huge KABOOM flix. Gimme Eye Candy, or get off my screen!But once in a great while, someone will bring out an Indy (May, Ginger Snaps, Brotherhood of the Wolf) which grabs me and won't let go. This is one of those jewels.Based on small town life in Texas, this wonderful story rings true all across the Deep South of the US. If you're not from the US (at least), you probably won't understand the truthfulness of this work; how true to life these characters are. I honestly felt like I was down home, visiting my family. No other movie (Sweet Home Alabama, Under Siege, Stone Cold, Forrest Gump) has made me feel more like I was sitting in Aunt Mary's parlor, enduring another day in the life, than this production. They wanted to catch the feel of the moment. They wanted to expose the way life really IS in the Deep South. They succeeded on a level I have never before experienced. It was brilliantly witty and heart touching.The story itself was wonderful, the dialog was brilliant, the sets and costuming were inspired, accents were beautiful and not forced (Jessica Simpson's Daisy Duke), and the thespians submit dead on portrayals.This one is not for the kiddies (unless they are FROM the Deep South in which case they've probably heard and seen worse), but is wonderful inspiration for anyone who is homesick. This movie will either break you down and make you buy that ticket home, or will give you the resolve to stay put by reminding you why you don't live there anymore!I give it 10/10 on the Indy Scale. That's a solid 8/10 on the A Scale from...the Fiend :.

Being from that area (in between Big Spring, Abilene & Snyder), I related 100% to this movie. In fact, I could give each character a different name because I do believe I grew up next door to these people. My favorite is Juanita putting her lipstick on with her cigarette in her mouth. I laughed so hard. AND I'm practicing that very trick myself. I watched it five times over the weekend. I'm renting the movie this weekend to take home so my redneck hick family can watch it. I'm SURE they are going to love it, too. I'm just waiting for the sequel. I really want to know where Brother Boy went and what happened to all of those people with their sordid lives. Bring us a sequel!!