Cadillac Ranch

Years ago, I saw this movie in a rack at my local library. Thinking nothing of it, having seen Thelma and Louise a few years back, I decided to give it a try and it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised at how touching and funny, tense this movie is.

These bad girls from Texas are embarking on a journey about the mysterious "Cadillac Ranch". I'm pleased to say that although it is a road trip-type movie, the film never wastes a moment to get to know the characters and that's a plus in my book, considering stories like these often have a tendency to lose focus and nosedive into utter ridiculousness. This fish out of a water scenario works well within the context of the story. My only peeve is that sometimes things are rushed and never fully explained. But I was along for the ride(pardon the pun) and I really enjoyed it.

So if you want to see these bad gals work their magic on uncovering the mystery that is "Cadillac Ranch" then you should pick this up. It's really cheap at Amazon.com, but considering this movie was made in the mid-90's,that's NOT a problem at all. Sit back and relax as the journey gets more rip-roaringly crazy and out of this world.

Some will compare this movie to 'Thelma and Louise' but it is no imitation and succeeds on its own terms. It concerns three aggressively colorful sisters from Texas (Suzy Amis, Caroleen Feeny and Renee Humphrey) who go on an odyssey to find out the truth about their father's disappearance from their lives. To say the least, they have "issues" with each other and their daddy's memory and these are hashed out long and loud throughout the film. The quest has something to do with that strange iconic piece of concept art in the Texas desert, the Cadillac Ranch. Throw in an evil ex-Texas Ranger who's after them and a cowboy poet who's enamored with one of the women and you have a pretty wild time.

There's never a dull moment in this flick, or at least not a quiet one. The script at times threatens to get just too clever and the characters also get a little too full of themselves occasionally, but I bought into the whole thing. The movie is as much a comedy as an adventure, and reactions to it will probably be love or hate. The three leading women and Christopher Lloyd as the bad ex-lawman give engaging performances. The movie was written and directed by women but this will not fit anyone's stereotype of a "chick flick." It reminded me of something that Beth Henley might come up with if she got a little silly and gave her characters a bit more mental health.

This tedious road movie is a real chore to sit through. Everything is so obvious regarding the flashbacks and story, that you will be reaching early and often for the fast forward button. Listening to three extremely shallow sisters discussing trite remembrance's as they drive across Texas is all there really is. Christopher Lloyd as their pursuing nemesis, is about as threatening as a basket of bunnies, and the whole thing lapses into more and more parody with each passing mile. The acting is amazingly wooden and the characters unlikable. Pass on "Cadillac Ranch" unless you are having trouble sleeping zzzzzzzzz - MERK