Highly Overrated But Still Good

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Happy Texas is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It has laughs, suspense, kindness and intelligence. The acting and inter-personal dynamics are excellent. Besides the stellar performances by everyone in the cast, I think special mention should go to Ally Walker as Josephine McClintock. The scene at her house, where she and Jeremy Northam's character are painting props, and all of the scenes between her and him, are extremely well-done. Harry Sawyer's reserved, rather civilized demeanor somehow works well with Wayne Wayne Jr.'s outspokenness and physical aggressiveness. The re-introduction of Bob Maslow was done at a perfect time, and that is an unexpected twist in the plot. I appreciated many things about the ending scene at the prison performance by the Happy Girls: Doreen and Wayne still wanted each other. Josephine and Harry still had a chance at a (delayed) reunion. Harry could be out in under two years. The girls' performance of What's So Great About Love (complete with the spastic moves Wayne taught them) was excellent. I love how the movie was filmed in big, bright colors with lots of outdoor scenes: None of the morose, ashen tones that are prevalent today. The soundtrack is great. Some of the best scenes are between Northam and Walker: Jo: "I haven't had a girlfriend in a really long time..."Harry: "Neither have I." (him having been in prison)Jo: "That's funny." (thinking he is referring to his gayness).and...Jo (yelling from tow truck): "What are you doing?"Harry: "I'm trying to save you!"Jo: Well stop! I'm trying to save you! If i don't kill you, first...Steve Zahn should have won an Oscar for his performance. "Remember to keep the beat!"I have watched Happy, Texas many times and it always "brings em' back alive".

Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) is a car thief and Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) is a con man. They and murderer Bob Allen Maslow escape from the prison van when it crashes. The duo are found by Sheriff Chappy Dent (William H. Macy) from Happy, Texas. They are mistaken for gay couple Steven and David who are suppose to put on a pageant for little girls. Joe McClintock (Ally Walker) runs the small local bank. She pays the boys %500 up front and $500 when the pageant is done. Harry convinces Wayne to lay low and put on a show. He also plans to rob the bank safe. Doreen Schaefer (Illeana Douglas) needs the guys to revive the town's pageant chances.Jeremy Northam is not a particularly great comedy partner. He's not able to generate any laughs and the material isn't that funny. I'm glad that they didn't go for the easy flamboyant gay jokes but it needs to find other ways to be funny. Steve Zahn has his moments but he's flailing a lot. This boils down to the writing by Ed Stone, Mark Illsley and Phil Reeves. None of them are known as writers and they don't deliver the jokes.

I was just watching this the other day and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I had finished watching something else on the same channel and couldn't get up the energy to change it - there was nothing on that peaked my interest. The plot synopsis didn't do much to encourage me but once I got into it I couldn't stop watching. It was a sleeper kind of movie, like Encino Man or Happy Gilmore, kind of sneaking up on you with the humor.I love William H. Macy as an actor and seeing him in this role just confirmed for me why I enjoy him so much. Excellent performance by Steve Zahn as well, and a nice cameo for Ron Pearlman.Comparing this to the awful remake of We're No Angels with a cast of heavy Hollywood superstars several years back, this is a much more worthy effort. Considering the talent involved, I would have to blame the writing.

Two small time criminals (Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn) escape a chain gang highway clean up crew and steal an RV, which promptly breaks down. When they are found by a small town sheriff (William H. Macy) they fear the worst, until they realize the officer, and the town, have mistaken them for the vehicle's owners; a couple (in more ways than business) of beauty pageant coordinators they have hired to turn their young ladies into the next "Little Miss Fresh Squeezed Pre-Teen." With an eye on the yearly harvest money about to hit the local bank, the escapees turn flamboyant pros to pull a flaming con.This is an adorable, fantastic, off the wall comedy with a fruity twist to the mistaken identity theme. A phenomenal script with excellent dialogue. An absolutely outstanding cast (keep an eye out for Ron Perlman!). Zahn is insane in the best possible way. Northam is subtly superb. Macy is simply brilliant. Looking to laugh to the beat of a different drummer? Visit "Happy, Texas."Favorite Line(s): "State prisons are leakin' like a macramé diaphragm." "Give me the meanest steak ya got rare, and I mean rare, just dehorn it, wipe its butt and send it in."Worth a buy.