Home Fries (1998)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Dean Parisot

Writer (WGA):

Vince Gilligan (written by)

Release Date:

25 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Plot:

Pregnant Sally unknowingly falls for the stepson of the deceased father of her baby and has to deal with his homicidal family.

Plot Keywords:

Pregnant | Heart Attack | Waitress | Superhero Costume | Confession

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Sally Jackson
Catherine O'Hara	...	Beatrice Lever
Luke Wilson	...	Dorian Montier
Jake Busey	...	Angus Montier
Shelley Duvall	...	Mrs. Jackson
Kim Robillard	...	Billy
Daryl Mitchell	...	Roy
Lanny Flaherty	...	Red Jackson
Chris Ellis	...	Henry Lever
Blue Deckert	...	Sheriff
Mark Walters	...	Deputy
Shane Steiner	...	Soldier in Jeep (as Tommy Shane Steiner)
Theresa Merritt	...	Mrs. Vaughan
Jill Parker-Jones	...	Lamaze Instructor
Morgana Shaw	...	Lucy Garland

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sexual humor.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #35577) | South Korea:15 | Australia:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Singapore:PG | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Baltimore Pictures

Trivia:

Theresa Merritt's final film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The characters played by Luke Wilson and Jake Bussey (Dorian and Angus) claim to be AH-1 cobra pilots in the "Air National Guard". The Air National Guard, which is a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, however, does not have cobra helicopters in their inventory. Only the Army Natinal Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps. flies the AH-1 attack helicopter. Dorian and Angus though, are wearing Air Force lieutenant bars (blue colored) on their flight suits, not Army rank (black or gold colored) as an actual cobra pilot in the Guard would have.

Quotes:

Sally: You don't wanna talk you wanna poke dents on my baby's head!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: 'Blue Streak': Inside & Undercover" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Big Little Baby

A Cute Black Romantic Comedy?

How does that work? Well. . .it does, and it doesn't. It's kind of strange, because this movie wasn't terribly complicated, but I'm still not sure what to make of it. So here's my tentative review: it's weird in a weird way. I mean, there are funny weird movies, and fun weird movies, and disgusting weird movies, and experimental weird movies, and mindless weird movies- and "Home Fries" is somehow none of those, either by an inch or by a mile. It's worth watching, don't get me wrong, but my feelings on this movie are uncharacteristically ambiguous. Drew is great, of course- she almost always is. I grew up in a tiny, Southern town, so I can vouch that the atmosphere seemed authentic. Luke Wilson is a charmingly unusual hero. Catherine O'Hara is funny as his psycho mother, and the Busey kid chews the scenery with both gusto and some amazing choppers, each obviously inherited from his dad. Some of the dialogue was really good, and there was a lot about this flick that was nicely understated. But overall...well, I occasionally get the urge to watch it again (because I like strange movies, and "Home Fries" is possessed of a strangeness I've never quite seen before,) but it certainly won't wear out before most of my other tapes. That, I guess, is the simplest and most honest review I can give it.