Waking Up in Reno

While not Oscar worthy material for any of the four accomplished actors here, Waking Up in Reno must have been a hoot'n a holler for all players. How refreshing it must be not to worry about how this might affect their future work. The characters are a delight from their "trailor trash" mentality to their hillbilly accents and you really begin to care about them right away. Thornton and Richardson are the married couple with difficulties and by evidence of some long awaited affection they are truley in love and just need a good bump on the head to remind them of who they are and want they want and need. Swayze and Theron are the younger couple with Life's road ahead of them and if a vaction to Reno to watch a MONSTER TRUCK RALLEY is anyindication it's going to be a doozy of a ride. It's predictable and got all the angles of a T-Square which is where the humour lies and if you don't take yourself or your problems too seriously you'll laugh as I did. Which is what I think the movie is about anyway. So, sit back and enjoy a heapin' helpin' of Southern Fried Humour with a side of grits and don't be surprised if you find yourself coming back for more.

I am amazed that the average reviews given by web site participants is not much higher. I thought this movie was very funny. It was a comedy with a lot of intelligence and underlying honesty, not your typical mindless shtick, and *very* worth watching. I gave it an 8.

Just caught this film on cable. I noticed the cable TV guide gave it one star. While certainly not a great film, giving it only one star is a bit harsh. Granted, I wouldn't have wanted to sit through two hours of such a movie, but it breezes by in a relatively enjoyable 90 minutes or so (if even that). I must say, as an American I kinda cringe to think of how "Waking in Reno" must satisfy every unflattering stereotype about Americans in the eyes of Europeans. The four characters are about as Red State as you can get (one of the Arkansas accents is done with remarkable aplomb by British actress Natasha Richardson). Richardson and Charleze Theron, the two female leads are none too tough on the eyes (which the men will appreciate). And Billy Bob Thornton give his usual interesting performance (without a doubt the most intriguing actor in America today). Swayze is just so-so, but not much is demanded of him. Not much is demanded of anyone or anything, for that matter, by this harmless, and quite funny, bit of fluff. Make a note to catch the wry commentary and numerous deadpan jokes about redneck culture (the script could have been written by Jeff Foxworthy). As it is, I believe one of the writers is a childhood friend of Billy Bob's from Arkansas (no doubt Thornton's presence in the film, as well as that of big time stars like Theron, was as a favor to the writer/childhood friend of Thornton). The movie reaches it climax at a Monster Truck show. That alone should be all you need to know about the setting and plot. I give it a recommendation to catch on cable/satellite if one of your movie stations is carrying it, though there are probably better things to spend your money on at the video shop.

In Little Rock, the redneck couples Lonnie Earl Dodd (Billy Bob Thornton) and his wife Darlene Dodd (Natasha Richardson), and Roy Kirkendall (Patrick Swayze) and his wife Candy Kirkendall (Charlize Theron) decide to travel together on vacations to Reno to see a Monster Truck Show. Candy wants to get pregnant of Roy, but is having an affair with Lonnie. Once in Reno, Candy finds that she is pregnant, while Roy's doctor advises that he is infertile, based on the results of his sperm test. The inevitable quarrel happens between the four travelers. "Waking Up In Reno" is a very disappointing movie, specially having such a cast. The result is not balanced, oscillating from a comedy of bad taste to a dramatic romance, but without any explanation for Candy cheating her beloved husband. The accent of the cast, probably from the region of Little Rock, is terrible to be heard. Maybe some of the best attractions are the beauties of Natasha Richardson and Charlize Theron, in a comedy that rarely made me laugh. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Seu Marido e Minha Mulher" ("Your Husband and My Wife")

Wakin' up in Reno refers to more than just the alarm clock when two married couples take a road trip -- and an unexpected emotional detour -- from their home town of Little Rock to the "Biggest Little City in the World" for a monster truck rally. Roy (Patrick Swayze, "Forever Lulu") and Candy (Charlize Theron, "Sweet November") tag along with their best friends Lonnie Earl (Billy Bob Thornton, "The Gift") and Darlene (Natasha Richardson, "Blow Dry"), picking up a brand new SUV from the dealership that Lonnie Earl owns, and head off for the wild blue yonder. They're armed with a AAA Trip Tik, which is animated onscreen from time to time as we follow the bouncing auto from point to point on its way out west. Along the way, they stop at a few roadside attractions -- but only the ones Lonnie Earl wants to see, because he's got to keep to their schedule. This is very important to him, even after he eats a 72-ounce steak and winds up in the emergency room. Meanwhile, Candy is ovulating and Roy's got to accommodate her whenever her temperature drops to that magic number. Little does he know, Lonnie Earl may have already planted his seed before they left home. Lonnie Earl's wife, Darlene, doesn't know either -- but you think she might not care, as she hasn't let her husband touch her for the past two years.

This is a pretty simple story and there isn't a lot going on, but it's well directed, and particularly well written and well acted. It all comes together beautifully, and the four actors are completely believable in their could-be country caricature roles. Lonnie Earl's got the Van-Dyke look going on, complete with snakeskin cowboy boots and his faux snakeskin shirt, and Darlene starts off bumpkin-geek with her overalls and badly bleached hair. She later goes babe-chic when she takes the cheating Lonnie Earl's credit card, raids the expensive designer boutiques, and treats herself to a Tony Orlando concert. While none of the characters have especially good qualities, the actors who portray them make them likable and relatable.

While the subject matter is serious, Wakin' Up In Reno is played (mostly) for laughs, and there are plenty of them. It's too bad it's only getting a limited release, as this is one of the smartest, funniest adult comedies I've seen in awhile.