Happy Texas

Happy Texas movie review

Happy Texas

"A smart comedy with flawless performances...a real treat." Time Magazine

Let's get one thing er...straight. I'm pretty sure in my sexuality, so the idea of:

effeminate gays or
straight guys pretending to be those effeminate gays or
butch guys coming out when they've fallen for one of the straight guys pretending to be gay or
butch guy who's come out falling for another butch guy or
straight guys pretending to be gays falling for two girls who thought the boys were gay

...doesn't worry me in the slightest. As a result, I loved Happy Texas a modest, tight little feelgood-for-adults flick from 1999.

I remember seeing it in an almost empty theatre in Sydney and laughing out loud on a number of occasions, which somehow made it much funnier because I knew hardly anybody else would ever see it. I think it tells you something of the esteem that my peers held me in at that time when I tell you that despite my strong recommendations, none of them saw it either!

Interestingly, like:

Spinal Tap 1984 &
Bend It Like Beckham 2002

Happy Texas' DVD deleted scenes show an original script that had serious dramatic intent but was pruned for laughs, a wise decision.

I'll keep the plot line to a minimum:

Two cons, Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) & Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) break loose from a chaingang and steal a Winnebago mobile home. On the highway they're pulled over by sherriff Chappy Dent (William H. Macy) who recognises the van as one belonging to two eagerly anticipated guests that his little town, Happy Texas is expecting. Having struck out for a while in the local beauty pageant, the town has hired a gay couple to train their young girls and rather than just bolt and draw attention to themselves, the two crims decide keep up the impersonation in Happy Texas, "The Town Without A Frown" for a while.

When they realise that the local bank run by Jo, (Ally Walker) is ripe for the picking, they extend their stay but unfortunately Cupid intervenes for both of them, making the decision to rob the little town a little more difficult. Just as they throw away Conscience and move to get the cash, a crim they escaped with stomps back into their lives and ruins the party.

While the whole ensemble is terrific, Steve Zahn steals the show as the bumbling, inarticulate Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr., who's job it is to teach the young girls how to dance. Like most feelgood movies, his transition (in this case, to a credible dance teacher) is a little unbelievable...but unlike most feelgood movies, you really do want to believe that he really changes.

Happy Texas isn't a great movie by any means. There aren't any huge belly laughs...though there are some wonderfully funny gay-bar boot-scootin' scenes for the very straight Harry...but overall, it's warm, funny and romantic in its own gentle way and I consider it well worth owning.

Happy Texas DVD

"...Always sharp, incredibly funny, superbly paced, this movie's small budget belies its excellent acting and directing..." Amazon reviewer B. Merritt

"...Wonderful comic performances in a contrived plot..." Amazon reviewer David Bonesteel

"...This is a re-buy for us. We lost our first one during Katrina. Liked it so much we purchased another..." Amazon reviewer Glenda Martin

Happy Texas soundtrack

"...The Happy, Texas soundtrack has all of the quirky, feel-good qualities of the movie itself! There are are plenty of honky-tonk flavored rockers, like"

That Buckin' Song, by Robert Earl Keen
Hurdy Gurdy Monkey Shine, by the The Road Kings and
Randy Scruggs & Joan Osborne's Passin' Thru

You'll also find some slow tempo gems like:

Emmylou Harris' Ordinary Heart
Pam Tillis' After a Kiss and
Half a Man by Shannon Brown is contemporary country at its best

This is a great collection of fun, sing-along-while-you're-driving tunes.... I highly recommend it..." Amazon reviewer Cecile Elbert