Poor White Trash

This is the epitome of white trailer trash movies. Nothing else comes close. Where else can you find a lawyer with a law office in a mall with a name like "Ron Lake's Land 'O Law"? If you're looking for a good laugh without having to follow the plot, then this is your movie!!!

This movie was shot almost entirely in Franklin County, Illinois. When the crew came to town they told authorities their working title was Good Morning Sunrise. The locals anxiously cooperated in the production, including use of police uniforms and equipment to use of the Courthouse at night for filming courtroom scenes. (Although the Franklin County Courthouse in Benton was used for interior shots, exteriors were taken in front of the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro. Many local officials auditioned for bit parts, and I was personally disappointed that a local police chief that had a noticeable stutter wasn't cast. When the movie came out with it's title Poor White Trash, the locals were infuriated and the film was blasted in the local papers. A side note- Mr. Snack's is an actual restaurant which was closed at the time of the film. It has since reopened and still stands on Route 14 in Christopher, Illinois. And one of our county judges proudly displays an autographed photo of M. Emmett Walsh.

If I ever get homesick when I move to Chicago, all I need do is pop this in. We don't live far from southern Ilinois, here. The characters are so expertly unpolished as to make one forget they are watching a movie and not sitting in their neighbor's trailer. I could smell the greasy fries and burgers in the fast food joint they 'robbed', and even felt the need to wash my face and hands after the 'oh so could be me or a neighbor' bungled murder scene. The absurd desperation and nefarious persistence of most of America's less than fortunate, but quite numerous population of us 'Poor White Trash' was funny without insulting, for it showed we have quite a drive to thrive no matter what! Thank you for the snickers and snorts! Cherry Cola

A must see for the kitch lovers, airstream clubbers, or just plain folks, an excellent study of the absurd but true to life story and characters. Great chance to see 2 actors from Blade Runner strut their stuff years later, but neither lessened by those years.

I was interested to see this movie, because I grew up in Southern Illinois and ran around in Benton as a teenager. Yes, I was a Carbondale Saluki and I believe I know some of the people Mr. Urba and Addis based their characters on. The scary part of the movie is (even if other didn't like the acting of the cast) that really is how most of the people in the local area act. Here's some trivia, local people were mad because the title of the movie was changed from something nice to something degrading, accurate, but degrading. I am also wondering about how Mr. Addis got so many good actors to be in a low budget, bad movie. I know the film has no A-list stars, but I wasn't aware that the actors in it were so disparate for work. Even a Malkovich was involved in the production. Luckily, the only good thing about this movie was seeing Jamie Pressly in the same frame as the old stomping grounds and the fact I don't live there anymore. Stay down and dirty, Slugdriveruh1

Sometimes AICN reviewer Sean Archer reporting. "Goodbye Sunrise", which I'm told might change it's title to "Poor White Trash" sets a new standard for the Indie Comedy.

What sets this apart from 99% of the Independent films out there is the quality of the performances. Every single actor in this film is practically perfect.

Sean Young, who is usually sub-par in comedies, shines in as the tough, yet loving mother willing to give up everything for her son. Tony Denman, in a starring role, shows that he has what it takes to become a superstar. Forget pretty-boys like James Vanderbeek and Jason Priestly, Tony Denman is an ACTOR, something Hollywood is desperately running short of. The ever-hot Jaime Pressly scores big as the femme fatale, a role she could probably play in her sleep by now, but this lady shows that she has the chops to make "Sandy" unique. Devane is also shockingly good in a role unlike anything he's ever done, playing the profane, violent lawyer. Jacob Tierney, a rising star, was extremely funny as the off-kilter, explosive living Lenny. But, my biggest kudos go to Jason London who was amazing as the not-so-bright ex-jock who's throwing his life away in a fast-food joint. Supporting parts are solid, with fun cameo's by Emmet Walsh, SNL alum Kazurinsky, improv star Koher, and the brilliant young character actor Patrick Renna.

Tech credits are solid, with the nicest work coming from DOP Kowalski. He brings this zany, Midwest town to life with some beautiful shots. Harper-Thomas, who's costume design won an Emmy on Newsradio, doesn't disappoint with some scene stealing outfits. Set design, lighting, etc. was above average for an Indie. The print I saw was unfinished, and sound was rough, but that should be corrected in post.

The script, which I read several months ago when it was the buzz around town, is simply marvelous, and the work by Addis and Urban really give this film the heart and soul which make it stand out. The only thing which kept this film from getting a perfect 10, was the direction of Addis, who seems, at times, to be trying to hard. A few less cuts and tricky camera-work would have been nice, as it tended to get a tad distracting. He does show promise, and should only improve as he gets his feet wet.

I was, at times, reminded of the early Coen bros. work. If you're a fan of Raising Arizona or Blood Simple, you'll love this. Although, I feel that it should appeal to a wider audience than those films. Great script, great story, great characters, great acting; what else could a film fan ask for?