Daddy and Them

Daddy and Them (2001) Can you spell dysfunctional? It’ll come in handy if you try to describe the characters in this movie to anyone. What we have here is a flick written, directed, and starring Billy Bob Thornton and he is up to his southern white trash best in this one. If you like movies that make our southern landscape appear populated with weird dimbulb dysfunctional people, this one’s for you. It has a great cast including Laura Dern (Billy Bob’s wife), Diane Ladd (Billy Bob’s mother in law), Andy Griffith (Billy Bob’s somewhat demented dad), Ben Affleck (a lawyer), Jamie Lee Curtis (a lawyer from Canada), John Prine (Billy Bob’s brother), Jim Varney (Billy Bob’s other brother) and Kelly Preston (Billy Bob’s sister in law).

The somewhat complicated story goes something like this. Jim Varney gets arrested in Arkansas for a felony with intent to murder so B-bob and wife who are constantly arguing about just about everything pack up and head for his old homestead to help out. Mother and sister in law (who B-bob used to know in a biblical way) decide to tag along. Once this gang of loonies gets together, it is a study in non-communication and poor conflict resolution. Full of dark humor and poking fun and just about everything, it is a real treat if you don’t mind a lot of oath hurling. The word firetruck is used extensively by just about everyone in the cast (well, I’ve put in some extra letters since this is a family newspaper but you get my drift). While taking a pretty jaundiced view of life in the South and particularly of dysfunctional alcoholic rednecks, the movie winds up with a really sweet ending and I enjoyed it. This one gets a space on my DVD rack. The movie comes with an excellent score and the DVD has an extra with B-bob reprising his Carl character from ‘Sling Blade’ and breaking up the cast. The movie was actually made before ‘Sling Blade’ but did not get released until after it became a hit. The movie is rated R for: excessive oath hurling, rampant senility, cramped sleeping quarters, alcoholic hazes, and for the large piles of white trash seen everywhere.