Daddy and Them

First off, let me say that I am a southerner.

I'm also a fan of Billy Bob Thornton, but I can't say that all of his movies are works of genius. When he's good, he's very, very good...etc.

I watched "Daddy and Them" and thought I had really stumbled onto a gem! Also written and directed by Billy Bob, it portrays two of the most dysfunctional families ever. They are his immediate family, plus his wife's (Laura Dern), who've gotten together because Uncle Hazel (Jim Varney, in a very small, thankfully non-Ernest role) has been arrested for attempted murder.

To top it off, these people are the epitome of Arkansas rednecks! Diane Ladd is in it, as is Andy Griffith. Since it's a Billy Bob-er, the language is kinda raw, and it's a real hoot to see and especially hear old Sheriff Andy get down and dirty! He plays BB's elderly, semi-senile father.

Very humorous, with more than a few belly laughs... up until 1:10, or thereabouts, then the whole thing just collapsed! It went into a final half-hour or so of boring, self-absorbed pseudo-psychological angst and apologia claptrap. What a come-down! I guess it was intended to make the film "relevant," or something, but what it really did was to make it a semi-disaster.

I'd recommend looking at the first 2/3rds, then, when BB starts to become a self-analyzing motormouth, turn it off and play Scrabble, or something.

Just watched this movie and felt compelled to comment about it. I have seen Sling Blade and was moved by Thornton's ability to portray a character. Well he didn't let me down in this one either! When I saw John Prine, I almost flipped! I missed seeing his name on the box when I rented it, and it really made the movie! I am a really huge fan of Prine, but never knew he made this movie. I only wish there had been an opportunity for him to sing during the movie, but the song afterward was great. If you watch the DVD version, make sure you listen to the commentary Billy Bob makes when John Prine wakes him up on the hood of the car. I most certainly agree with him that Prine does, indeed, steal the movie!

I suspect that your ability to enjoy this movie may hinge on 2 things. Can you take a joke and have you ever lived in the South?

If you enjoy SIX FEET UNDER that will help. At times you think you have things figured out only to realize that you are watching a character's dream or fantasy.

If you have lived in the South you have met ALL these people. From Billy Bob who's wife, Laura Dern constantly reminds him of all the studs she bedded before him to her mother (in the film and in real life) Dianne Ladd constantly trying start an argument between them to the her sister (Kelly Preston) who has never really gotten Billy Bob's character out of her system to the "Out of towners", usually from UP NORTH who think they are SO much superior to the local folk. From the matriarch who is slowly slipping into senility and the patriarch who is Not dealing with that or anything else too well, to the "stud" brother who drinks too much (Jeff Baily) and goes through a lot of cars.

For those NOT raised in the South I can assure you these are REAL PEOPLE. I have known them all in one form or fashion.

ALL the acting is good. A very nice turn by a former Cowboys Cheerleader, Tamara Glynn, in the role of the paramedic, refered to in the move as the "ambulance driver". Also a Little Rock local (last seen advertising A/C and a Jr. College) does an admirable job as the brother who is said to be "screwing everything".

ANDY GRIFFITH- Outstanding character and you have not likely ever seen him like this.

TAKE NOTE of the scenery when Laura Dern and BBT are having the picnic. That is atop Petite Jean Mountain west of Little Rock and is some of the greatest scenery around.

I was still laughing after multiple viewings. IF you take this as a farce you can enjoy it. If you are looking for the deeper meaning as in SLINGBLADE you will be bored and disappointed.

FWIW I did not have anything to do with this movie and don't know any of the folks involved.

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.

This was the first of four movies I saw as a personal tribute to actress Kelly Preston (who died last July). When I found this movie I was very surprised as it's a bit obscure especially here in Italy. I found some parts very funny and some not, but in the end, it was just ok.

The movie is about the dysfunctional Montgomery family that lives in the South of the US. It's composed by Claude (Billy Bob Thornton), his wife Ruby (Laura Dern), her sister Rose (Kelly Preston), her cousin Julia, their grandfather OT (Andy Griffith) and their uncle Hazel (Jim Varney). Ruby's family reunites with this family because their uncle is convicted in prison for attempted murder. And trouble follows because Rose doesn't do anything other than reminding Ruby the fact she had a relationship with her husband, and this causes a bit of anger in the family. The ending is a bit muddled.

This movie has quite an impressive cast for an obscure movie: Thornton, Dern, Preston, Griffith, Brenda Blethyn and even Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck (playing a couple of married lawyers)!! I really wonder how Affleck got involved in this movie since he was already a major star back in 2001. The scenery of the Arkansas woods and plains was very nice to look at and it makes you want to go there in vacation.

Don't have high expectations if you want to watch this movie. Mostly because it doesn't belong to a particular genre. At times it doesn't even know if it's a comedy or a drama and that's one of the film's negatives. But at least it has a few funny moments (especially when Thornton becomes some sort of self proclaimed philosopher). If you, like me, are interested from time to time in finding obscure movies with famous actors, then this movie is for you.