I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

'JAYNE MANSFIELD'S CAR': Four Stars (Out of Five) Billy Bob Thornton directed, co-wrote and co-stars in this family drama film set in 1969 Alabama. Thornton plays a World War II vet in a family of military veterans lead by their father, a World War 1 vet (played by Robert Duvall). The family must deal with the unexpected death of the mother, who had lived with another family in London. The movie also stars John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Katherine LaNasa, Ray Stevenson, Ron White, Shawnee Smith and Frances O'Connor. Thornton co- wrote the film with Tom Epperson and the two have written multiple other movies together (like the critically acclaimed indie crime drama 'ONE FALSE MOVE'). It's Thornton's first directing job since 2001's 'DADDY AND THEM' (which I haven't seen). It's not as classic as 'ONE FALSE MOVE' or Thornton's breakthrough hit 'SLING BLADE' but it is a competent and entertaining character study. Thornton plays Skip Caldwell, a 50-year-old World War II vet who still lives at home with his father Jim (Duvall). Jim is a veteran of World War 1 and Skip's brothers Carroll (Bacon) and Jimbo (Patrick) are also World War II vets. Jimbo never saw combat though. He's jealous of his brothers for that and still lives with his father as well, along with his wife (Smith) and son (Marshall Allman). Carroll lives with his son (John Patrick Amedori) and spends a lot of time doing drugs and protesting the war (which causes conflict with his father). When the boys' mother dies more conflict is created when her London family comes to town for the funeral. Jim has hated the man, that stole his wife (Hurt), for many years and finally meets him. Jim's daughter, Donna (LaNasa), also comes to town, for her mother's funeral, with her husband (White) and two daughters (Carissa Capobianco and Karli Barnett). The movie has a lot to say about war and 'peace vs. violence' (as a resolution to conflict) and does a good job of representing both sides of the issue (I think). It's full of heated debates and shows how the topic (as well as war itself) has affected so many. Thornton once again plays a mentally disturbed man child. His character is definitely hard to relate to but he's good in the role. Duvall is a scene stealer and I thought LaNasa was just too beautiful and stunning to look away from (I haven't seen her in anything else but she's very lovely and likable in this). Thornton's directing is always interesting to watch and his writing skills appear to be pretty decent. The film is just a character study, with not a lot actually taking place in it, but I thought it was still pretty entertaining and involving.

I watched this DVD this afternoon, expecting not much and becoming glued to the whole thing. The characters were drawn perfectly, and we saw the characters of the American family drawn carefully for us before we met the English family. (I did wonder what would have happened, had the English family not spoken with such pristine middle class accents, but that's silly, no American woman would fall for anything less.) There is a touch of farce, some neurosis and some age-old baggage to be sorted before the film ends, touchingly and with horror written on the face of the father in question. It's not a blockbuster, and it's not full of hysterical dramas, but it did put me in mind of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and not purely because of the accents - the taught drama spinning away behind the pleasant and civilised dialogue. Excellent all round.

I watched this movie with a group of regular movie goers. One person stood up and said, "If I had seen this in a theater, I would have stood up and booed"-- Two people fell asleep. Another said, this makes Ishtar look like a compelling masterpiece. The movie was painfully slow, with dreadful dialogue, shameful use of great talent, boring to the audience and a pity the director never made it to the set. Whatever was paid to the cast....next time could Billy Bob s spend less money on a dyed red wig and a few more on a script and director. The use of Jayne Mansfield's name in the title was a con to drag us in--thinking it would be clever and edgy. Beyond disappointing.

Great actors, awful directing, they call them movies because they are supposed to move, this one doesn't and it has the wrong music and poor uneven cinematography.Billy Bob, stick to acting. This movie is not entertaining. Oscar and this movie in the same sentence is an insult to Oscar.I'm not a voting member of the Academy. If I were, I would have to give it two thumbs down for blatant pandering to the academy while ignoring the ticket-buying public.Some good music from the 60's might at least give you the feeling of the era this movie is supposed to be in and moved things along a little better. I have never known a WW2 veteran that was Hippie, Kevin Bacon's part was unbelievable. Ron White was Ron White.