Daddy and Them

Filmed in Little Rock, Arkansas, this film is a languid telling of a Southern family's domestic travails. All the characters appear to be enjoying themselves most of the time, except Ben Affleck and Jamie Lee Curtis. And John Prine, who seems to be enjoying himself all the time.

Prine's gravelly voice is a treat. Wait for the credits to roll and you will finally get to hear him sing ("In Spite of Ourselves"—just right for this film).

The soundtrack is stunning, especially the acoustic "Dixie," soft and reflective, strummed while Billy Bob reflects on himself.

Don't miss the director's commentary. Billy Bob Thornton adds quite a bit of insight and detail to each scene.

Pour a glass of wine, build a fire, and enjoy.

From the first time I caught a portion of this film on Showtime until I finally found a copy on DVD, I asked myself, "Why wasn't this released in the theaters?" I have rationalized that it was too real for the average Southern audience and conversely bizarre to a Northern group. Add the fact that Jim Varney was unable to complete the film, which I'm sure, created some last minute re-writes and the botch job the editors did in the cutting room and the answer becomes more obvious.

The movie had a superior cast and each thespian was spot on in the portrayal of their respective roles. From the obvious stars Billy Bob Thornton's portrayal of an alcoholic, troglodytic, narcissistic redneck and Andy Griffith's character whose nightmare plagued view of life was truly delightful to watch, to the unsung Walter Goggins spot-on Southern Homosexual; Tommy Christianson (Jim Varney's alleged victim) and the tandem of Jaimie Lee's and Affleck's portrayals of fish out of water Yankees, all the actors were well above Hollywood's standards.

The writing was as close as one can get to true to life redneck/white trash dialog. I use the terms redneck/white trash with personal pride having spent a good number of my life's years living in a trailer in Alabama. I have been surrounded by and endured these types with much fascination for quite some time and this movie was completely a slice of life. Well worth watching and should be a part of every Southerner's DVD collection.

Through all the madness that ensues in the film, the finale leaves one feeling warm and fuzzy, if you work for it. You can see the potential for change and growth in all walks of humanity. The poor struggle with the past but live in the now. They walk in the shadows of the educated but are far from being imbeciles. Obscene behavior shows ignorance not stupidity. Anyone that sees this film and cannot get past all the verbose behavior in the film will not grasp the underlying love that is being purveyed. The Character's total dysfunction disables them from rational thoughts and actions, however, they do care for one another honestly and carry exceptionally strong family bonds.

Now, for the most troubling aspect; the fatal flaw was the editing. The movie at first glance has some gaps and unexplainable situations that are baffling and distracting. Upon viewing the deleted scenes portion of the DVD the movie's intent and flow are re-established. This is still a very good film. Sadly, it could have been a great one.

It looks like the lack of marketing for this film has really caused the filmgoing public to be deprived. I understand there was some turmoil surrounding the films release, which is why it was so delayed, and had things worked out better, it may have reached the audience it was designed for. The endearing part of this movie, with it's wandering plot, and it's archetypal characters, is that it is an accurate reflection of daily life among many of the lower middle class that lives in the middle of this country. I know these characters. Every one of them could be a neighbor to me. Although this film was based in Arkansas, it easily could have been made in Clay City, KY, right down to the phrase "daddy and them's" to refer to the patriarchal home-place. In short, this movie is about life, and not everyone's life, but hopefully about the life of someone everyone knows. When you add in the stellar cast, including hillbilly hero John Prine, this movie can simply not go unwatched.

I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical about Thorton writing and directing this movie. And since I was (still am) going through a complicated divorce when I saw the movie, it made me cringe a few times in the first half of the movie. Up until Julia had her outburst - after that, things started to converge. Without giving away too much, I'll say that I can easily compare this movie to a symphony that is unconventional in the sense that it doesn't have a climax where a naive audience expects it to be. However, the first half being full of dissonance and stark tones, that almost magically become resolved into a harmony.

Seeing as though the IMDb patrons gave this movie only barely more than a 5 score, what I am going to say now will be controversial: I think Thorton is a freaking genius, and I am glad I watched this movie. For me, this is a solid 8 stars.

Finally saw this film via Showtime after years of waiting for a studio/theatrical or video/DVD release. It was worth the wait, although strange seeing BBT and LD as a couple long after they've both moved on to other people. I didn't realize there were so many big-name personalities involved in the project (e.g. Ben Affleck, Jamie Lee Curtis, etc.) The film, with its collection of quirky characters reminiscent of "Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will?" left me with a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It's one of those films that mostly makes you laugh, maybe tear up a little, and in the end, think about what the message was. There are so many families like the Montgomerys - dysfunctional with few to nonexistent communication skills - and we see bits of ourselves and our own families in these characters. The main reason I wanted to see this film so badly is because I'm a John Prine fan, and although his lines were few, they were effective! And stick around for the closing credits to hear his song "In Spite of Ourselves," a duet with Iris Dement. Worth the wait!