A Very Sordid Wedding

Now and then we all could use a feel-good movie. Reality is deeply overrated, especially when shoved down our throats on daily basis. "A Very Sordid Movie" is not so sordid, quite the opposite. It's hilariously funny, smartly paced, poking fun at the homey, down South baloney. It's all fun and games until the script got to the potholes no car should drive on. It got kind of preachy, that works only on previously converted (hence no point to it at all), schmaltzy and frankly cloying. It is a damn shame that a person who wrote all of those funny lines got stuck on the most predictable and trite plot line. Not everything has to have a happy ending to feel good. Sometimes just stirring up trouble does the trick.

An anti bigotry film is very welcomed, but this film is horrendous. The characters are foul mouthed, talk all the time and just won't stop being nasty to each other. There is constant bickering, and nonstop negative interactions. It is such a pity that an anti bigotry film ends up being nasty and negative.

After the original movie in 2000 and a short-lived TV series in 2008, we get another installment and catch up on the loony characters in Winters, TX.

Many of the original stars are back and some are not. Coming off best is Leslie Jordan as the Tammy Wynette-obsessed drag queen who returns home for a wedding.

The plot centers on gay marriage and the hypocrisy of bible thumpers and ends in a double wedding. Very good are Bonnie Bedelia, Ann Walker, Carole Cook, Dale Dickey, and Newell Alexander.

The big surprise is Scott Presley as Roger the local hairdresser, who brings a touch of sad wistfulness as he finally fights back against the hateful christians who try to ban gays from their stores. It's a fine moment when he kicks a bunch of hateful women out of his salon. Another sad note is that Sharon Hunley (who plays the funny/dippy Juanita) didn't live to see the film released.

Emerson Collins plays the get-away serial killer. Rosemary Newell returns as the evil psychiatrist. Kirk Geiger also returns as the gay son about to be married. There's also a special guest star in the finale.

Leslie Jordan is always a joy to watch, but Scott Presley steals the show.

A VERY SORDID WEDDING

SORDID LIVES (2000) became a cult classic almost as soon as it was released. Subsequent to that film hit, a one season tv series was launched. Some of the original film cast repeated their roles, others were replaced.

A VERY SORDID WEDDING (2017) is a follow-up to the original, focusing on healing relationships and bringing about some happy endings. This is all in the context of gay marriage and anti-equality faith denominations denying human rights.

The writing is a bit preachy and heavy-handed, considering if you are seeing the film, you are probably not a right-wing anti-gay conservative, who needs educating.

The iconic roles of Latrelle (Bonnie Bedalia), Sissie (Dale Dickey), and LaVonda (Ann Walker) are more than ably filled by these superb actresses. Bedalia is even better than she was in the original, which is almost hard to realize as she stole that film with her barely controlled hysteria.

Leslie Jordan is back as Brother Boy, attempting to win a drag competition with his one-man, three women (Wynette, Lynn, Parton) show, and just as nobly outrageous as before. Producer/Actor Emerson Collins in a small role as a serial killer gives a stunning performance in a few brief scenes. (I've seen him in other Del Shores productions and he is quite a chameleon and a seemingly brilliant actor.)

My only gripe is that 17 years after the original, Kirk Geiger (aged 48 at the time of filming), has aged facially to the point where pairing him with T. Ashanti Mozelle (33 at the time) seems a December/May romance. It would have felt more appropriate for an older actor to be cast opposite Mr. Geiger, who having originated the role or Ty, should have been retained at all costs in the sequel.

Is it as much fun as the original? No, not really. The gay issue in the original was one of many plot and character story lines. Here it is all anyone is talking about and the film suffers from heavy-handedness, leading to boredom, on a number of occasions.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has not seen and liked the original. Fun for those of us who have, but hardly a mind blowing experience.

I can't write a better review than others have done, except to say I grew up in that part of the world, which makes me a bit of an expert on the characters and setting. I don't talk to my relatives there any longer, BTW - once you see this film, you'll understand why. I know I do.

Not that I wouldn't call them, but, well... just watch the "Jimmy Ray Brewton" (Levi Kreis) character and you get the worst side of that bunch. If you use proper grammar and spelling and occasionally eat a salad, you would find yourself in the same place as Latrelle (Bonnie Bedelia) very quickly.

The eye shadow. The hair. The clothes. Even the accents. East Texas to a nut!!!

I bet you'll like this very sordid wedding, too! I haven't even finished the film yet because I'm taking time to post some of the most hilarious quotes I've ever heard on film!

Save me! Make all the ugly in the world go away!!!