Customer Reviews

Baja Oklahoma [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Baja Oklahoma is a wonderful HBO Original Film that is remembered primarily as an early Julia Roberts vehicle, but deserves much more than that! Written by 'Semi-Tough' scribe Dan Jenkins, the film crackles with great one-liners, inspired casting, and a 'Cinderella' storyline that's hard to beat.

Lesley Ann Warren (who's never been feistier or more beautiful) is Juanita, a good-hearted Texas woman with a string of bad relationships, an 18-year old daughter (Roberts) running off to Aspen with a dope-pushing boyfriend, a dead-end job waitressing at a bar, and dreams of being a songwriter. Her best friend/fellow waitress, Doris (the fabulous Swoozie Kurtz) cheats on her husband regularly, depending on her to back up her alibis; her patrons (including singer Billy Vera and the terrific William Forsythe) are an undependable but very likable collection of oddballs.

When Juanita's high school flame (Peter Coyote) returns to town for his father's funeral, her life begins to turn around. Both have been burned but still remain optimistic, and he believes in her talent. All she needs is some good advice (provided by Vera), a little management (offered by local deejay Anthony Zerbe, who's a hoot), some inspiration (from Coyote, of course!), and a little luck, and her dreams just might come true!

Filled with classic country tunes, appearances by Emmylou Harris, John Mayall, and Willie Nelson, and a terrific title tune by Jenkins and Nelson, this is a 'feel-good' movie that may just bring a tear to your eye by the finale. It's that good!

So if you purchase this simply to see Julia Roberts, prepare to be enchanted by another 'Pretty Woman'!

This is such a great movie. I usually rank all films I see along with most of the critics; sad to say they didn't rate this one as high as I did. However, this little film grabbed me--I identify so much with 'Juanita's' plight--wanting so much to 'make' it but being stuck in a one-bar hick town. The love connection was very real and Swoozie Kurtz' part, as always, the cutest and quirkiest. It's in my collection. It's my favorite and I loan it to everyone. I wish I were from Texas where Bob Wills is still the king!

This was a mid-afternoon throw-away movie. Basically, the only reason I would ever watch a movie like this is because there was nothing else on. Luckily, someone accidentally taped it, because I was hooked. I still haven't figured out how a pre-women's-lib honky-tonk Texas flick made it into my "heavy rotation" movie section. The acting is pretty good, the plot is nothing special, and the discussion about the pink dye-job certainly borders on the revolting. (You'll have to see the movie to understand.) But I connected with Leslie Ann Warren's character , and was unexpectedly drawn into her struggles with her history, her nymphomaniacal friend, and her naive daughter. Everyone has felt like her at least once, and some of us (like me) actually see ourselves in her combined innocence and cynicism. And of course, the ending is as good as they get. Watch this movie -- not because you think you'll love it, but because you think you won't. Everyone needs a pleasant little shock once in a while. One word of warning: "Baja Oklahoma" is a very stick-in-your-head kind of song. As are many of the other tunes in the movie. You might not want to watch it right before a major presentation, or anything else that requires memorization. Unless, of course, you're a good singer.

I first saw this movie on HBO without the editing on the VHS version. The first date with old boyfriend (Peter Coyote)where Juanita tells why she loves Texas was the reason she wrote her song to Texas to begin with. Without that scene, it takes the heart out of the movie. Please remake this on DVD without this killer editing.

Good movie starring Lesley Ann Warren as a bartender who wants to be a country songwriter. Originally made as a HBO movie. Julia Roberts plays Warren's daughter in her second movie appearance. (Her first role was in Blood Red with her brother Eric.) A must have for any Julia fan!!

I saw this movie on cable and loved it. I was very happy to find out that it was on video, but when I rented the VHS I was surprised to find that some Hollywood lunkhead thought the thing would move faster if they edited out all the really good parts. The VHS made no sense. I want to see the movie I saw first...please...somebody put it onto a DVD. I'll buy it.

Baja Oklahoma is a wonderful HBO Original Film that is remembered primarily as an early Julia Roberts vehicle, but deserves much more than that! Written by 'Semi-Tough' scribe Dan Jenkins, the film crackles with great one-liners, inspired casting, and a 'Cinderella' storyline that's hard to beat.

Lesley Ann Warren (who's never been feistier or more beautiful) is Juanita, a good-hearted Texas woman with a string of bad relationships, an 18-year old daughter (Roberts) running off to Aspen with a dope-pushing boyfriend, a dead-end job waitressing at a bar, and dreams of being a songwriter. Her best friend/fellow waitress, Doris (the fabulous Swoozie Kurtz) cheats on her husband regularly, depending on her to back up her alibis; her patrons (including singer Billy Vera and the terrific William Forsythe) are an undependable but very likable collection of oddballs.

When Juanita's high school flame (Peter Coyote) returns to town for his father's funeral, her life begins to turn around. Both have been burned but still remain optimistic, and he believes in her talent. All she needs is some good advice (provided by Vera), a little management (offered by local deejay Anthony Zerbe, who's a hoot), some inspiration (from Coyote, of course!), and a little luck, and her dreams just might come true!

Filled with classic country tunes, appearances by Emmylou Harris, John Mayall, and Willie Nelson, and a terrific title tune by Jenkins and Nelson, this is a 'feel-good' movie that may just bring a tear to your eye by the finale. It's that good!

So if you purchase this simply to see Julia Roberts, prepare to be enchanted by another 'Pretty Woman'!

Juanita is a single mother afraid to give love a second chance with her former high school sweetheart. Her dreams are overshadowed by a past she's not too proud of. While she's chasing her career as a song writer she's also butting heads with her headstrong daughter, Julia Roberts. This movie reminded me of Thelma and Louise and I couldn't help but fall in love with it. It's a great little treasure.

I first saw this movie several years ago and fell in love with it. Leslie Ann Warren and Peter Coyote are wonderful! I was happy to see that I could get my own copy. The ending will have you cheering, laughing and crying all at once. It is a real FEEL GOOD MOVIE! I highly recommend it!

Need a soundtrack to accompany. Is there one? There doesn't appear to be one.