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Straight Talk (1992) More at IMDbPro »

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17 comments in total

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Delightful piece of fluff, 17 July 2003

Author: rps-2 from Bracebridge Ont

Some might dismiss this as a "feel good" movie and indeed it is. But it's a lot of fun and a bright vehicle for the always delightful and vivacious (bodaceous?) Dolly Parton. Sure, the plot is predictable from the first scene. But there are a lot of laughs and good moments on the way to the trite happy ending. But the measure of a movie is whether you enjoy it and this is a wonderfully honest and enjoyable picture.

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11 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Dolly Is Great, 25 August 2003

Author: Dustin Bell (dbell8400@hotmail.com) from Dexter, Missouri

I totally loved this movie. Dolly has been a favorite of mine ever seen I seen her in "9 To 5." She's just amazing. After watching this movie for the first time about two months ago I went out and bought a copy. I consider is a classic and will always love it. The movie alone is a role model.

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8 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
More going for it than you might think, 11 July 2002
Author: Boyo-2

Dolly starts out working at a dance hall but gets fired by her boss (played by John Sayles) and is sick of her abusive boyfriend (Michael Madsen) so she leaves for Chicago with his bowling ball.

Through a highly improbable set of circumstances, she becomes a radio 'therapist'; it comes easy to her since she's thoughtful, has common sense and some down-home charm. Soon she has a national following as 'Dr. Shirley.'

Soon she has James Woods' reporter following her around. He smells a story and thinks she might be a fake but cannot prove it. He also falls for her.

Comedy is supplied by Griffin Dunne's maniac/radio station exec, a very funny scene with Dr. Shirley on a talk show, and the chemistry between James Woods & Dolly Parton, two actors you might not think of in the same galaxy but who work together very well.

Small movie has a lot going for it. 7/10.

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10 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Quentin Tarantino... listen up, 6 August 2005

Author: ArmsAndMan from Berkeley

An unlikely pair of actors, James Woods and Dolly Parton prove to be well cast, and their performances raise the level of the movie above the limits of the script. Woods is always good, but Dolly Parton is remarkable. Why don't we have more movies with her? This woman is so talented it breaks your heart.

Woods is the kind of brainy actor who has worked with so many prestige directors, it only raises my esteem for him that he took on this assignment with Parton. I'd like to believe he recognized the value of Dolly's screen persona and wanted to share in the light she brings to every project.

I was thinking that James Woods is the only actor to star opposite both Dolly Parton and Sharon Stone (well, there is one other brand name actor who's done that -- know who?).

My hope is that some day Dolly gets re-discovered through a Sundance project. Or maybe Quentin Tarantino will decide to film a ketchup-free love story and give Dolly the break she deserves. Hey, QT, you were born in Tennessee, right? Give Dolly a call...

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7 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
A Must See!!!, 18 February 2000

Author: trzvmd from Saucon Valley Pa

A simple and inspiring movie. Dolly Parton's performance was outstanding!!! Got a little choked up at the end. A great movie when you want something inspiring and touching. A pure entertainment kind of deal. Disagree with Ebert's criticism that the movie is not representative of the radio or journalism business as I really don't care; i didn't watch the movie to be informed or educated about either of these businesses.

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6 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
"Straight Talk" is one of Dolly Parton's best., 8 November 1998
Author: Barry Leger from Greenville, New Hampshire

Dolly Parton, James Woods, Griffin Dunne, and Michael Madsen star in this warm, funny, and terrific film. Dolly Parton stars as Shirlee Kenyon, a down-to-earth dance instructor who has just been fired. Then she decides to go to Chicago where she hopes to make it big. Soon she becomes Chicago's leading radio personality and everything starts going her way. Anybody who likes a funny movie should definitely watch this.

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Totally unbelievable but fun, 10 October 2007

Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States

Shirlee Kenyon (Dolly Parton) leaves her small town and deadbeat boyfriend (Michael Madsen!) for the big city (Chicago). She loves giving advice to people. She accidentally gets on the radio one day and starts giving callers her honest, kind advice about their love lives and such. She is immediately a hit (just like real life huh?) and becomes wildly popular. Investigative reporter Jack Russell (James Woods--yes THAT James Woods) starts looking into her past and slowly starts to fall in love.

The story is ridiculous and familiar at the same time but I DID like this movie. Parton's charm and acting (I think she's good) carry this film through its rough spots. The story moves quickly and (if you don't think about it TOO much) it's actually not too bad. Also Parton sings a few nice (if unmemorable) songs. The title track was supposed to be a hit but didn't make it. The only negative thing about this is Woods. Now, he's a great actor but casting him as a romantic lead just doesn't work. He's uncharacteristically frantic and seems uncomfortable. Still he does try. Casting Madsen as Parton's boyfriend was another bad choice. Look for a young Teri Hatcher at the beginning before she hit it big with "Lois and Clark".

I was one of the few people to see this in a theatre. There was virtually no advertising and the movie disappeared quickly. The studio dumped it completely...but it's not THAT bad. If you hate Parton steer clear of this. But, if you like her, you'll get a kick out of this. I give this a 7.

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2 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Corny, poorly-made vehicle for Dolly, 17 March 2007

Author: moonspinner55 from redlands, ca

Advertised as a "date movie", this comedic vehicle for Dolly Parton is really full of chick-flick clichés, hopefully the last gasp for the Cinderella Specialty. Parton plays a country bumpkin named Shirlee who relocates from the sticks to Chicago, inadvertently landing a job as a talk-radio psychologist (when asked about her education, Shirlee tartly replies she graduated from "Screw U"). Corny, old-fashioned in the worst sense, and just plain stale. James Woods and Griffin Dunne are both highly inappropriate male leads for Dolly, whose natural effervescence is apparent but not utilized to any advantage. Parton also performs on the soundtrack, with the title cut being one of her very weakest songs. *1/2 from ****

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2 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Dolly at her best!, 25 September 2005

Author: hondo551 from United States

As a fan of Dolly's who's grown tired of her over-the-top antics over the last few years, I find myself going back to this film to remind myself of why I liked her all those years ago. Underneath the outrageous clothes and makeup and the outrageous personality, I always felt there was someone a little more down to earth and sweeter than what we get on stage. Well, this movie keeps her out of those terrible clothes and keeps her mouth from going overboard and what comes across is a sweet, gentle, down-to-earth lady who gives the best acting performance of her career. There are times when the movie feels like more of a predictable made-for-TV film than a theatrical release, but there are times of comedy and drama and heartfelt emotions that make it a very sweet feel-good movie. Leaning more towards westerns and war movies, film noir and science fiction, I rarely find this sort of movie appealing. In this case, the entire cast, especially James Woods, does a fine job, and Dolly charms. Holy moley!

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2 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Predictably fun movie, 27 March 2005

Author: John Wayne Peel (jwpeel@tiac.net) from Lynn, Massachusetts

This is a movie that does what it's supposed to do. Entertain! Forget the simple plot where a regular person (Dolly Parton) gets by with sheer charm and falls into a bed of roses with a few thorns along the way. An abusive boyfriend (Michael Madsen) a cantankerous city guy (James Woods) and a neurotic program director Griffin Dunne) with all kinds of great character actors like Philip Bosco, Jerry Orbach, Teri Hatcher and Charles Fleischer. Dolly is an instant success as a talk show host who really isn't a doctor in the city of Chicago after having left Arkansas behind. Yes, it's predictable but so is a ride to Disneyland and you still enjoy the ride on the roller coaster. Dolly is as charismatic as always and looks damn fine to boot, or maybe I should say she's "pertier than a basket of kittens at Christmas time." James Woods is as much fun as he always is in a movie and his roughness palys well against Dolly's folksiness. So buckle yourself in and enjoy the ride.

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