Briar Patch

After watching this movie and THOROUGHLY enjoying it I thought that I'd check to see how it did on it's IMDb rating and frankly, I was STUNNED! A two point four!?!? I couldn't believe it! This was one of the most surprisingly enjoyable movies that I've rented in a long, long time. Although somewhat predictable, the simplistic mix of drama and humor, the colorful characters and the original plot all elevate the quality of this movie FAR above many others I've rented recently. I can't imagine why people feel this movie deserves such a low rating, but give it a chance and I don't think you'll be disappointed. Just don't forget to come back once you've watched the movie and help to give it the rating that it deserves.

First of all, I really enjoy Dominique Swain in a very dramatic role like this one. Her emotions range perfectly from spastic to sultry to smart. I was very entertained by her performance in this film. I caught it on TV and found myself getting annoyed with the commercial breaks. I would love to see it unedited. The film reminded me very much of a Flannery O'Connor story. It was deranged and twisted, as her stories often are, and it had the Southern tragedy down pat.

I wish I had known of this film sooner. It didn't have a huge budget, I am sure. It was still very, very entertaining. I recognized many of the other actors such as Flowers and Edgar from other films and thought they were cast well for the roles they played. Strange and fascinating story that would seem unbelievable to most, which is what gives it such intrigue.

Zev Berman, the director of "Plain Dirty", or "Briar Patch" as it's identified in these pages, takes a big chance in bringing this Deborah Pryor's screen play to the screen. First of all, this is a courageous piece of film making, and the characters in the film don't exactly endear themselves to the viewer. The film is a moody attempt to present us people that are living at the edge of society with basically no redeeming qualities to them, yet, we are hooked into watching the movie until the end, no small feat Zev Berman pulls on his viewers.

We were attracted to the movie on the strength of its excellent cast. Henry Thomas is an actor that is always interesting to watch. As Edgar, he is the man obsessed with Inez, a woman he mistreats endlessly. Inez, played by Dominique Swan, makes a good contribution to the film as the girl who can't take any more of the beatings she receives from Edgar. It's clear, from the start, that Flowers is secretly in love with Inez, but being such a sorry sight, knows he can't compete with Dru, the rich guy who wants Inez for himself. Both Artie Verveen and James Urbaniak are right on the money about how they play their characters. Also, Debra Monk, who is seen as the police officer Avon is, as always, excellent.

The film sort of hypnotizes the viewer with the cinematography of Scott Kevan and the haunting score by Nathan Barr. While it's clear that this is a not a film for a lot of people, as demonstrated by the many negative comments to this forum, the least one can do is watch it with some degree of respect because the tremendous job by Zev Berman has accomplished with this movie.

While it's not pleasant, it definitely sinks its hooks into you and stays for a while. This movie would be easy to dismiss as a Southern Gothic mess, but there is a fable quality that makes it hard to forget.

The performances are all very strong and the setting is excellent. In a way it's all about how our dreams possess us and motivate us, while simultaneously coming into collision with those dreamers around us. The frustration of the husband in trying to control his wife makes it easy to believe how far he's willing to go, and, therefore, how desperately she plots and conspires to be free.

You won't admire anybody's morals here, that's for sure, but you can't help empathizing with how strongly each person struggles for the vision of existence they wish to achieve.

I don't usually like romance movies. They drive me up a wall. Same with romance books. But perhaps because this was romantic in a weird way, I did really like it.

Swain plays a down-and-out white trash girl in Virginia, married to a creep named Edgar who robs stores to keep themselves afloat. They don't give you a background as to why she ever married this creep, but the bloom has worn off the rose and she just wants to get away from him now.

She's in love with a very pale young man who is a lawyer in their small Southern town. He's a big fish in a small pond and more to offer her then she's ever seen in her whole white trash life.

Edgar also has a best friend, a guy named "Flowers", for what reason I can't imagine, who hangs around Edgar and his wife all the time. Flowers is infatuated with Inez, Edgar's wife, but she finds him repulsive. He really is, at first--you have to look hard through all the dirt and bad clothing and beard to recognize pretty nice-looking Ari Verveen.

Edgar knows Inez is in love with someone else and after a fight, decides to keep her prisoner in her own house by chaining her to her bed at night and to the sofa daily, with Flowers standing guard while Edgar goes and does whatever it is he does.

Inez manages to convince Flowers to help her to get away from Edgar by murdering him for her. He doesn't really need a lot of convincing, since he wants her for himself.

These people are completely amoral and trashy, but there is still a beautiful kind of poetic romance to Flower's love for Inez. I loved the movie. Even if you hate romances, you may find it great too.