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117 comments in total

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Small Texas Town Lives Up To Its Name, 28 December 2005

Author: fwomp from United States

Happy Texas is one of the greatest comedies you've probably never heard of. Shot in just 29 days on a shoestring budget, this film's acting, directing, script and comedic timing are so clever and incisive that it has attracted an almost cult following, especially among Steve Zahn fans.

There are plots within plots that all pull together in the end to make a perfect film. Starting with escaped convicts (Wayne Wayne Wayne played by Steve Zahn and Harry Sawyer played by Jeremy Northam) who have to hide and steal an RV belonging to two gay pageant designers, to discovering the gay lifestyle in a small Texas community (Happy), to finding love in the arms of a doe-eyed banker (Ally Walker ...sorry for the cliché, but she really does have doe-eyes), this movie hits on all aspects of life and puts a hilarious spin on them.

The greatest things about this film were Steve Zahn's acting while trying to teach pre-teen girls how to dance, and William H. Macy's stunning performance as Happy's town sheriff who comes out of the closet.

Always sharp, incredibly funny, superbly paced, this movie's small budget belies its excellent acting and directing.

Few films will tickle your funny bone as perfectly as HAPPY Texas. Watch it. Buy it. Live it!

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13 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
A "Happy" Kind of Comedy, 15 September 2002

Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon

A case of mistaken identity causes concern, conflict and consternation among the residents of a small town in Texas, the results of which are often unexpected but always hilarious, in `Happy, Texas,' directed by Mark Illsley. A comedy of incidents and errors, it illustrates what can happen when trust is placed in the wrong quarter; and interestingly enough, the good things just may outweigh the bad, depending upon which side of whose fence you're standing on at the time. One thing is certain, before it's all over there are those who will know a lot more about themselves, as well as some of the others in town, and one way or another Illsley makes sure that there's plenty of laughs in it for his audience along the way.

Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) escape from a Texas chain gang along with killer Bob Maslow (M.C. Gainey), to whom they just happen to be shackled. When Maslow takes it on the lam, Harry and Wayne steal an RV that belongs to a couple of gay entrepreneurs, David (Tim Bagley) and Steven (Michael Hitchcock), who are en route to Happy to produce a beauty pageant. For personal reasons, the couple do not report the theft of their vehicle. Meanwhile, as this pageant is a big event in Happy, the local sheriff, Chappy Dent (William H. Macy), is on the lookout for David and Steven, and when he spots their RV, he personally escorts them into town, where Harry and Wayne (who quickly catch on and become `Steven and David') are welcomed and handed some money. It doesn't seem like a bad gig considering the alternatives, so they take the money and go along; after all, how hard can producing a beauty pageant be? Suffice to say, being perceived as `gay' is going to be the least of their problems over the next few days. And with that, the merriment begins.

Humor is the main course served up by Illsley in this rather off-beat and quirky feast of funniness, which often takes the road less traveled to come out a winner. It's a comedy with a twist rarely associated with the prevailing attitudes among the folks residing in the good state of Texas, wherein `macho' holds sway and those who wear a badge must necessarily conform to the shadow cast in the image of no less than John Wayne. With Illsley's offering, however, we get to see the other side of the coin, and it's refreshing, as well as funny. In the end we realize that `nature' will have it's way in every conceivable way, shape and form, and there's no getting around it; it's a little thing called `life.' Illsley, though, is not attempting to make a statement with his film, or even send a message of any kind. This is first and foremost a comedy; Illsley's intent is clearly to entertain and to make his audience laugh, and in this he succeeds. He begins with an interesting concept, builds a good story and populates it with some bona fide `characters,' brought to life by a solid cast of talented actors.

William H. Macy just may be the best character actor alive, and his portrayal of Chappy helps to make the case even stronger. His resume reads like a who's who of a cross section of the earth's population: From his memorable turn as Jerry, in `Fargo,' to `Mystery Men's' Shoveler, Walt the director in `State and Main,' Lawrence in `Focus' to his poignant and unforgettable performance as Bill in `Door To Door' and everything in-between, Macy makes whatever character he's playing unique, perfect and interesting. He's a star who can carry a film on his own, or give the kind of support in a smaller role that elevates whatever project he's working on to a higher level; and there are very few actors around who can lay claim to that kind of range and success. As he does with Chappy, he has the ability to make his characters convincing and entirely real, bringing them to life without any discernible trace of Macy the actor to be found. Chappy Dent, for example, is a sheriff in Happy, Texas, with no connection whatsoever to a guy named William H. Macy. It's the highest compliment one can pay an actor, and Macy deserves it tenfold.

In the realm of character actors, it must be noted, too, that Steve Zahn is well on his way to establishing himself among the best of the best. Like Macy's Chappy, in Wayne Wayne, Zahn creates a character with a decidedly unique perspective on the world and his own place in it. And, like Macy, Zahn has the ability to disappear into a role. Consider some of his characters, from Lenny in `That Thing You Do,' to George in `You've Got Mail,' Fuller in `Joy Ride,' to his role here of Wayne, and you would be hard put to find any semblance of the `real' Steve Zahn. He has yet to establish his ability to carry a film on his own, but he has certainly demonstrated how invaluable his presence can be to any film.

Of the entire cast, in fact, it is leading man Jeremy Northam, known predominately for period piece dramas (Mr. Knightly, `Emma,' Sir Robert, `An Ideal Husband' and Ash, `Possession,' for example), who seems to be the fish out of water here. As Harry/Steven, however, he rises to the occasion and gives a convincing performance that is yet another `plus' to the film. it's a role somewhat against type for him, but he pulls it off nicely.

The supporting cast includes Ally Walker (Josephine), Illeana Douglas (Doreen), Ron Perlman (Marshal Nalhober), Jillian Berard (Maddie) and Paul Dooley (The Judge). A feel-good film made for fun and frolic, `Happy, Texas' may take a side door to the humor, but it finds it and makes good on the promise of what `comedy' is all about: Plenty of laughs. 8/10.

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Happy, Texas? No, Happy Universe, this film is hilarious!, 8 August 2006

Author: Amy Adler from Toledo, Ohio

Two prisoners (Jeremy Northam and Steve Zahn) escape their chain gang when a fracas starts because of a road kill armadillo! They make it to the small town of Happy, Texas where they discover that the gay beauty pageant experts everyone is waiting for, won't be coming after all. Figuring that they can hide in plain site with the right credentials, the duo steps into the world of little-girl beauty contests. Northam takes care of the behind the scenes activities while Zahn must teach the little gals their big dance number. Their methods are, to say the least, a bit unorthodox but the town embraces them mightily. However, posing as gay advisers has its disadvantages when the town's banker and the pageant assistant are both lovely ladies. How long will the convicts be able to keep up with appearances? This film is a darling and humorous gem. Zahn and Ilieana Douglas, especially, give all-out hilarious turns as the pageant advisers. Northam, a distinguished Brit in real life, charms the audience with his great looks and his commitment to his role as a "screw-up" from Texas. Ally Walker and William H. Macy, as well as the rest of the great cast, support the principals nicely. The small town Texas setting, the clever script, and the fun costumes complete one's fondest desires. Even if you've never heard of this film, don't pass it by. Although its gay undertones may be offensive to a few, its gleeful mirth and constant giggle-getting scenes mean a good time will be had by all who watch the film.

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
A real feel-good film, 13 February 2004

Author: Tord S Eriksson from Gothenburg, Sweden

Happy, Texas is one of these films that you know from the beginning will end well, where everything work out, eventually, and nobody gets killed.

But it sure ain't all sweet, as foul language and sex is comic parts of the story, as are two supposedly gay men (they have stolen a camper belonging to two gay mane, so they, two escaped convicts, have to impersonate these guys for a while), a gay sheriff and so on.

The acting is nigh perfect, the story ludicrous, and it is all a great saga, but very modern at that. When Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr teaches the small girls how to dance on scene is one of the funniest scenes I've seen for a long time, and in all it outshines similar films by quite some distance!

If only Stuart Little had some of this energy and love of life, sigh!

8/10

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Incredibly silly, but cute and funny nonetheless., 11 June 2004

Author: sublime501 from Albuquerque, NM

HAPPY, TEXAS tells us the story of two escaped inmates, Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) and Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam). They arrive in a town called Happy in Texas and proceed to steal the RV of a young gay couple, and are later forced to assume their identities as beauty pageant experts. Wayne becomes known as David, and Harry becomes known as Steven. "Steven" works on trying to avoid his feelings for the banker Joe (Ally Walker) and "pity-dating" the town sheriff Chappy (William H. Macy) while planning to rob the city bank, while "David" works on trying to teach a group of young girls to successfully win a beauty pageant.

I expected this to be a pretty dumb film, but I was surprised in that it wasn't. It was silly, of course, but not dumb. The plotline is ridiculous in theory but is carried out quite well. In fact, I found this movie to be rather sweet and charming, and very funny in parts. Not hysterical, but entertaining.

The thing I was most surprised about while viewing HAPPY, TEXAS was how good the acting was in parts. Every actor was good in both their comedic and dramatic moments. Steve Zahn was hilarious as Wayne, while Jeremy Northam was good in a mostly dramatic role. William H. Macy was excellent as he always is, as was Ally Walker.

All in all, HAPPY, TEXAS is a pretty average comedy. There are some good humorous moments, but they come somewhat few and far between. The pacing is a little too slow and it gets a little boring at times, but it's a cute and fairly original movie. Better than most of its kind and pretty entertaining. 7/10.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Thoroughly entertaining filmette, 17 December 1999

Author: Alex Brown (alex_brown@blueyonder.co.uk) from Woking, England

This was not what I expected whatsoever - a thoroughly delightfully funny little film that kept me smiling for a long time after leaving the cinema.

Two small time criminals skip prison after their transportation vehicle crashes and steal a motor home - however the motor home belongs to a pair of pageant directors, and due to being accosted by the local sheriff they assume their identities.

There are several brilliant moments in this film - not the least of which being when the two find out they are supposed to be gay lovers, and that the beauty pageants are for children rather than the models they were expecting.

The local sheriff is the star of this film as he comes to terms with his sexuality in red neck land, but this was just a lot of fun all round.

Definitely a small time film, but one certainly worth watching.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Title of film describes it; funnier than many big-budget flicks, 24 March 2007

Author: caa821 from Tulsa OK

I saw this film recently, for the second time, with a friend who hadn't seen it before.

It has a solid cast, with roles all well-played, and all who are just a bit shy of being on Hollywood's "A" list - but not because of any lacking talent or appeal.

There are a lot of previous comments here, so I would just add that it is a thoroughly enjoyable film, all the characters likable (even the couple of "bad" guys, in their own way).

You are completely aware of the basic ending of the story from the outset, and can pretty well guess most of the exact details as it moves along. However, this isn't meant to be suspenseful, and, as a quiet, modestly-budgeted presentation, it outdoes most of the "A-list," super-budget extravaganzas by a mile.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
daft camp funny comedy, 19 April 2004
Author: Tob147258 from Manchester

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

SPOILERS

Every so often there's a film you see advertised on video/dvd or see on television which you've never previously heard of. It could be because it's a low budget piece which never made it to the cinema and if it did it was for one week, or it could be because of something else. I'm not sure why I'd never heard of this film until it was on television tonight, but what I am sure of is that it's quite good.

In "Happy, Texas" we're presented to the not so original chain gang jailbreak. Two of the three escapees are Wayne Wayne Wayne Jnr (played in usual standard by Steve Zahn) and Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam in an unusual comedy role). These two men steal a homosexual couples portable home and eventually end up impersonating the couple in a small town called Happy in Texas. The men are faced with the problems of keeping people believing in them, dealing with their roles as organisers of a young girls beauty pagent, and avoiding falling in love with some of the women townsfolk.

This film is as to be expected really. In Zahn it has a daft, excentric appeal to it, whilst Northam is also good as the more serious partner who falls for the bank owner. Added to these an outstanding, if light hearted, performance by William H Macy as the closet homosexual Sheriff who falls for Northam and we're presented with a happy comedy which might not win any awards, but is going to make you feel good about yourself. Happy is a place named for a purpose. If you watch "Happy, Texas", you might not laugh too often, but you'll certainly come away feeling good to be alive. One to watch when you need cheering up.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Warm and funny, 11 August 2006

Author: Gordon-11 from Hong Kong

This film is about 2 straight escaped prisoners having to pose as 2 gay beauty pageant organisers to conceal their identities.

This film started a bit slow, but soon afterward it became very funny. Steve Zahn did very well in his role, and he was very convincing as a rough bandit. His solo performance on doing funny movements and pulling silly faces was fun to watch.

I also enjoyed the subplot about the sheriff (William H Macy) and David (Jeremy Northam) a lot. Wiliam H Macy gave a fine performance especially in the scene where they went hunting for hares, and in the scene where David refused him to enter the room when they were preparing for the performance. I could relate to sheriff's character so much that I felt his pain. My heart ached when I saw the sheriff crying on the hill.

I do recommend this film, it is warm and funny!

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5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Cute Extended Sitcom, 28 September 1999
Author: iago-6 (scott@cinemademerde.com) from NYC

I saw this movie for free, and I enjoyed every minute of it, but if I had paid $10, I'm not so sure I would have enjoyed it, or even gone.

This is basically a generic romantic comedy with slightly better characters and slightly better actors. Ally Walker is very appealing without being constructed from the start for maximum adorability, like any number of women in bigger budget romantic comedies. Steve Zahn is amusing, but doesn't break any new ground. For some reason I always enjoy seeing Illeana Douglas. Jeremy Northam is fine, sounds American and all, but... why him for this? Why this for him? Sure, it's a step up from Mimic, but after Emma and The Winslow Boy?

The one reason to see this movie is William Macy. He was SO wonderful and open and vulnerable as the sheriff with a secret that I really felt for his plight as you would for a friend. He was really the most developed and likable of the characters here. And I think it's good that the audience (at least as I saw it) is much more concerned with whether he'll end up happy than anyone else.

There were a lot of annoying inconsistencies, like where the two convicts are getting their fabulous wardrobe from. And why Ally Walker seems to have gotten a perm for one scene and then taken it out for the next. But the movie is so slight that it is't worth caring about.

This is one of those Miramax movies that comes out and plays in smaller theaters even though it is every bit as slick, predictable and mainstream as anything else out there. I liked it, but I wouldn't pay to see it. It really is just a long sitcom.

--- Check out website devoted to bad, cheesy and gay movies: www.cinemademerde.com

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