SPOILERS
Every so often there's a film you see advertised on video/dvd or see on television which you've never previously heard of. It could be because it's a low budget piece which never made it to the cinema and if it did it was for one week, or it could be because of something else. I'm not sure why I'd never heard of this film until it was on television tonight, but what I am sure of is that it's quite good.
In "Happy, Texas" we're presented to the not so original chain gang jailbreak. Two of the three escapees are Wayne Wayne Wayne Jnr (played in usual standard by Steve Zahn) and Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam in an unusual comedy role). These two men steal a homosexual couples portable home and eventually end up impersonating the couple in a small town called Happy in Texas. The men are faced with the problems of keeping people believing in them, dealing with their roles as organisers of a young girls beauty pagent, and avoiding falling in love with some of the women townsfolk.
This film is as to be expected really. In Zahn it has a daft, excentric appeal to it, whilst Northam is also good as the more serious partner who falls for the bank owner. Added to these an outstanding, if light hearted, performance by William H Macy as the closet homosexual Sheriff who falls for Northam and we're presented with a happy comedy which might not win any awards, but is going to make you feel good about yourself. Happy is a place named for a purpose. If you watch "Happy, Texas", you might not laugh too often, but you'll certainly come away feeling good to be alive. One to watch when you need cheering up.
Every so often there's a film you see advertised on video/dvd or see on television which you've never previously heard of. It could be because it's a low budget piece which never made it to the cinema and if it did it was for one week, or it could be because of something else. I'm not sure why I'd never heard of this film until it was on television tonight, but what I am sure of is that it's quite good.
In "Happy, Texas" we're presented to the not so original chain gang jailbreak. Two of the three escapees are Wayne Wayne Wayne Jnr (played in usual standard by Steve Zahn) and Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam in an unusual comedy role). These two men steal a homosexual couples portable home and eventually end up impersonating the couple in a small town called Happy in Texas. The men are faced with the problems of keeping people believing in them, dealing with their roles as organisers of a young girls beauty pagent, and avoiding falling in love with some of the women townsfolk.
This film is as to be expected really. In Zahn it has a daft, excentric appeal to it, whilst Northam is also good as the more serious partner who falls for the bank owner. Added to these an outstanding, if light hearted, performance by William H Macy as the closet homosexual Sheriff who falls for Northam and we're presented with a happy comedy which might not win any awards, but is going to make you feel good about yourself. Happy is a place named for a purpose. If you watch "Happy, Texas", you might not laugh too often, but you'll certainly come away feeling good to be alive. One to watch when you need cheering up.