Crazy in Alabama (1999)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Antonio Banderas

Writers (WGA):

Mark Childress (novel)
Mark Childress (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Sometimes you have to lose your mind to find your freedom

Plot:

An abused wife heads to California to become a movie star while her nephew back in Alabama has to deal with a racially-motivated murder involving a corrupt sheriff.

Plot Keywords:

Alabama | Hollywood | Star | Murder | Abusive Husband

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Melanie Griffith	...	Lucille Vinson
David Morse	...	Dove Bullis
Lucas Black	...	Peter Joseph 'Peejoe' Bullis
Cathy Moriarty	...	Earlene Bullis
Meat Loaf	...	Sheriff John Doggett (as Meat Loaf Aday)
Rod Steiger	...	Judge Louis Mead
Richard Schiff	...	Norman the Chauffeur
John Beasley	...	Nehemiah Jackson
Robert Wagner	...	Harry Hall
Noah Emmerich	...	Sheriff Raymond
Sandra Seacat	...	Meemaw
Paul Ben-Victor	...	D.A. Mackie (as Paul Ben Victor)
Brad Beyer	...	Jack
Fannie Flagg	...	Sally the Waitress
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Joan Blake

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence, thematic material, language and a scene of sensuality.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Green Moon Productions

Trivia:

Two of Lucille's children are played by Melanie Griffith's real-life children: Dakota Johnson and Stella Banderas.

Quotes:

Lucille: Would you happen to know how your slingshot wound up in my car?
Peejoe: I figured you could probably use some protection.

Movie Connections:

Features "Bewitched: It Takes One to Know One (#1.11)" (1964)

Soundtrack:

I'm Settin' You Free

Everything I didn't expect

One doesn't tend to expect much from an actor's directorial debut, especially from a relatively young actor and especially from one who seemed to have risen to fame at least partially by being, um, well, a studmuffin. One also typically expects a movie in which a husband directs his wife in a lead role to be fairly shallow or at least unbalanced. I crossed this movie off my list pretty early, expecting a forgettable Griffith-overload creation and little more.

Wrong! It's well-acted, engrossing, funny, and uplifting without feeling schmaltzy or (despite its farfetched plot) artificial. Every so often you want to rewind a bit, to hear some extra-cute bit of dialog again, or savor an especially well-done shot. (The camera work and sets, both indoor and outdoor, show unusual care, flash, and detail; this didn't dawn on me for most of the first hour but a rewind made it obvious.) Overall, 9 stars out of ten. But:

I wouldn't urge anyone to see this movie for Melanie Griffith. She does a fine job, but she's not what puts it over the top. As with quite a few recent films, I found that the performances of the extremely well-chosen supporting actors were a big part of what held the film together and made it so much more than it might have been. Most notable here is Rod Steiger as the judge, who captivates utterly; John Beasley as Nehemiah -- though his character could have stood a lot more development; and the perpetually underrated Meat Loaf as the slimy sheriff. Performances like Steiger's make you want to ransack the video store to rent all his older films.

Finally, I believe Lucas Black is destined for greatness. I couldn't watch him without remembering River Phoenix as Chris in "Stand By Me."

Why this film doesn't even rate a Maltin summary is beyond me.