Hollywood to Dollywood

I remember when "camera" always meant "film". In those days, having to watch somebody else's home movies or vacation slide show was universally considered a form of torture; I think The Simpsons has explored the horrors of such an experience. Watching this movie is just like that.

Gary and Larry Lane are gay twins with no discernible talent or charisma but tons of self-importance and pushy ambition. In their grasp at fame they force themselves on some moderately prominent people in and around gay show business, including Chad Allen, Leslie Jordan, and - obviously - Dolly Parton. The result is extremely tiresome.

Ms Parton and the other pros are wonderfully gracious and far more accommodating of the twins' relentless intrusiveness than I would be. I admire tolerance wherever it appears, but if those interesting and gifted people had been a little LESS tolerant, we might not be having to watch the UN-gifted and UN-interesting Lane twins act out their narcissistic personal agenda.

Only the always delightful Mr Jordan and Beth Grant make this movie worth seeing at all. Fast-forwarding until you see their faces is the best way to watch this otherwise annoying and pointless movie.

I am not a big fan of documentary films but this is an exception to the rule. This documentary is more than just a journey from "Hollywood to Dollywood", it is a telling of southern culture and the many different and not-so-different views of homosexuality in the south.

The Lane twins- Gary and Larry- along with Gary's boyfriend, Mike Bowen, travel the route via Interstate 40 meeting many people while making stops along the way. With back stories from Larry, Gary, Mike, the hilarious Tennessee-native-turned-Hollywood-diva Leslie Jordan, Dolly herself, Cody Renegar (he made me cry like a baby) and many other people along the way you see the wide variations of acceptance, denial, loss of family and the joy of being true to ones self.

With a soundtrack featuring 15 of Dolly Parton's best songs, a single camera, cramped RV and 2247 miles of road "Hollywood to Dollywood" takes us on a journey that is much more than a road trip... it is a journey through life. I HIGHLY recommend this movie for ANYONE- gay, lesbian, straight, bi, young and old alike.

These gentlemen did a great job and I wish them the best in their continued journey with the family. There are many great messages given in this movie but one of my favorites is from Ann Walker who said, "If some book (referring to the bible) tells me I have to hate my child, that's a book I don't want to read."

So join the boys on the journey of a lifetime from "Hollywood to Dollywood" and see for yourselves what lies ahead...

10 out of 10...