HAPPY, TEXAS. WHERE EVEN PEOPLE ON THE RUN FIND A MOMENT TO BE FABULOUS.
Escaped convicts Harry Sawyer and Wayne Wayne Wayne, Jr. (Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn) end up in a small Texas town called Happy where they are mistaken for a pair of gay beauty pageant consultants. This low-budget comedy sparked a bidding war at Sundance and is very charming, but hardly a future classic. Director Mark Illsleyās feature debut is somewhat unpredictable, has pleasant characters and a great performance by Zahn as the criminal who finds his new job in Happy quite involving. However, the film is a bit too harmless, a little too soft, and some of the relationships are less than fascinating.
1999-U.S. 99 min. Color. Directed byĀ Mark Illsley.Ā Screenplay: Mark Illsley, Ed Stone, Phil Reeves.Ā Cast: Jeremy Northam (Harry Sawyer), Steve Zahn (Wayne Wayne Wayne, Jr.), William H. Macy (Chappy Dent), Ally Walker, Illeana Douglas, M.C. Gainey… Ron Perlman.
Quote: “Give me the meanest steak you got! Rare, and I mean rare! Just de-horn it, wipe its butt and send it in.” (Macy)