Customer Reviews

Happy, Texas

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

What a delightful movie. I heard about this when it was released at the theatre and I was expecting something quirky and zany. It is testament to the direction of Illsley and to the great acting that the story is really brought to life.

A simple story: prison breakout, the fugitives are mistaken for gay children's pageant organisers, they plan a bank robbery but are changed by the charm of the inhabitants of Happy, Texas.

This is real laugh out loud stuff: Steve Zahn trying to teach kids to dance (based on an MTv video), Jeremy Northam (in a character that is a million miles from An Ideal Husband) as the subject of the local sherrif's affections (played by an always brilliant William H Macy), the theft of the RV (which gets the main characters into the fix in the first place) and the car chase (with a tow truck).

The DVD allows you to see the scenes Illsley deleted and listen to his reasoning. It is easy to see just from this how much effort went into story and character development. It has certainly paid off. These are people you meet for 98 minutes but they are formed well enough for you want to meet them in real life.

I highly recommend watching this movie and I guarantee you will get one of the best renditions of Bjork's "Its so quiet" you are likely to see.

Happy Texas is one of the greatest comedies you've probably never heard of. Shot in just 29 days on a shoestring budget, this film's acting, directing, script and comedic timing are so clever and incisive that it has attracted an almost cult following, especially among Steve Zahn fans.

There are plots within plots that all pull together in the end to make a perfect film. Starting with escaped convicts (Wayne Wayne Wayne played by Steve Zahn and Harry Sawyer played by Jeremy Northam) who have to hide and steal an RV belonging to two gay pageant designers, to discovering the gay lifestyle in a small Texas community (Happy), to finding love in the arms of a doe-eyed banker (Ally Walker ...sorry for the cliche, but she really does have doe-eyes), this movie hits on all aspects of life and puts a hilarious spin on them.

The greatest things about this film were Steve Zahn's acting while trying to teach pre-teen girls how to dance, and William H. Macy's stunning performance as Happy's town sheriff who comes out of the closet.

Always sharp, incredibly funny, superbly paced, this movie's small budget belies its excellent acting and directing.

Few films will tickle your funny bone as perfectly as HAPPY TEXAS. Watch it. Buy it. Live it!

I 'd passed this movie on the shelves of movie rental stores for some time now and I just want to kick myself for not renting it sooner. After I saw this movie, I just had to have it for my movie collection. The box cover isn't a natural "attention grabber", but don't underestimate this movie's quality because of that. Happy Texas packs tons of laughs. This movie was well put together and the story line is definitely unique. Steve Zahn is one hilarious character. The scene where he tries to teach a group of young girls how to dance for a local children's pageant makes Happy Texas worth buying in itself. There's plenty more to this gutbusting comedy, but I'll let you judge for yourself. I think you'll find this one handsdown, 'No Contest'. And remember...." the light is green!" Check this one out!

HAPPY, TEXAS is a delightful film, earnestly and honestly directed by Mark Illsley and acted with professional finesse by a talented cast.
Jeremy Northam, who usually plays stuff-shirt gents (Mimic, Gosford Park) stars as Harry Sawyer, and Steve Zahn, who is proving to be a marvelous comic actor, plays Wayne Wayne Jr., two small time cons who escape from a chain gang. They end up stealing an RV which is owned by two gay pageant directors, who are delighted to have it stolen. They head off for an island getaway, waiting to report the stolen RV after the insurance rates go up. The boys end up in Happy, Texas, where they are greeted by the townspeople who hope that their expertise will help them to the state finals. Zahn is shocked when he discovers the contestants are little 5 year old girls. Northam and Zahn go along with the ruse so they can rob the local bank. But, wait...Northam finds himself falling for the bank's manager, played joyously by Ally Walker. Zahn meanwhile is falling for the pageant's local director, Ileana Douglas. Next thing you know, Zahn is making outfits for the girls, and Northam doesn't want to rob the bank anymore. And if this weren't enough, the town's sheriff, played to the hilt by William H. Macy, comes out of the closet and admits his attraction to Northam. They go out on a date at a Dallas gay bar, where they dance their little feet off.
What distinugishes this movie, however, is the direction that takes a humanistic, straightforward approach. When Northam rejects Macy later, it's a poignant and touching scene. Macy is brilliant in this role, and it is his honest performance that keeps his feelings for Northam real and honest, and not slapstick or comic. Throw in Ron Perlman in a small supporting role, and you have a movie of rare honesty and emotion.
A hit at the Sundance Festival, it should've done better in release, but at least you can get it on DVD and relish in its
power.

Read the plot once over. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn't it? At the very least, it sounds like it'll be an unholy meld of slapstick and cheeseball cutesiness. It does incorporate both elements, but with honest restraint. The rest of the movie is warm and enjoyable, chock full of characters you actually *gasp* care about. And while you're busy wondering how that happened, you're also laughing your ass off. Because it's funny as well as heartwarming. And Steve Zahn is hilarious.

Happy Texas is one GREAT movie!!!!
I remember standing in line for HOURS to see it at Sundance!!!

Happy is a wonderfully sweet, totally odd little ditty of a film. A FIRST rate cast with an easy directing style filled with very real, funny, quirky and off the cuff characters that well ALL know. Just look around your own hometown....You know people just like those in Happy....We all do!!
Macy really makes Happy, TX-------William H. Macy is one of our most talented actors working today. I was really hoping for an Oscar nod for his work. Macy's character "Chappy" is his finest to date. As you watch his character, one tends to forget that you are watching "an actor". "Chappy" becomes totally real!!! Witness the "Proper Date" and the " Rejection" scenes if you have any doubts.

Happy is really much better after 2 or 3 watchings. Small little details surface that are easily missed the first time. Example: Check out the photo on Sheriff Dent's desk!!!
Also some of the characters odder than normal mannerism become more visible and more funny!!!

Happy is a quiet, gentle little movie------It doesn't shout at you. It makes you laugh---BUT---It REALLY makes you smile. Which is PRETTY cool!!!!

I never thought I'd want to see, much less enjoy, a movie called Happy, Texas, but the trailer didn't lie this time, and I've now seen it three times. It's not a perfect, movie, and the viewer who complained that it was a bit disjointed is right, but there are so many good moments and appealing characters that it is impossible not to enjoy yourself.
Small time crooks Harry Sawyer (Brit Jeremy Northam, who actually does a not bad job with the accent, and anyway is Jeremy Northam, so who cares?) and Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn, hilarious as "the other one") escape their prison van and end up hiding out in the small town of Happy, posing as gay beauty pageant organizers. And there they meet Jo...sephine McClintock,(Ally Walker, warm and funny and appealing) the perpetually stressed Miss Schaefer (Illeana Douglas) and "Chappy" the sherrif (William H. Macy, a real standout), while teaching some little girls to throw punches and bop to Bjork, and trying to decide whether or not to rob the bank.
It's bizarre and great, perfect winter entertainment.

"Two aspiring novice writers/directors go to Sundance Film Festival and become inspired to make their own movie for a future festival. They do and it is highly received. Miramax buys it and releases it to critical acclaim in theaters and on DVD." This plot sketch, the actual story of how director Mark Illsley and writer/producer Ed Stone triumphed in their project, "Happy, Texas," is at least as interesting as the actual movie plot. You get both stories in this excellent DVD release: the bonus features, including director commentary, alternate takes, making of..., videos and more are well worth the extra price of this loaded DVD. If you want to learn how fire-in-the-belly untested movie makers make their dream come true, then this is it: a film to remember, especially since you will feel you were there during the shooting (because of the inside information about the production). On another note, one has to admire William H. Macy, currently hot in films and able to command high salary, who was, nevertheless, willing to sign on to a 28-day, independent movie shoot at scant pay, portraying a 300-pound Texas lawman. Macy almost steals the show from the entire group of solid performers. See this movie on DVD. It will make you "happy."

Happy, Texas is a quick, easy film with expected twists, but made memorable by a very charming cast. Steve Zahn and Jeremy Northam star as two thieves who are mistaken for pageant directors. Northam's Harry is the slick brains of the operation, while Zahn's Wayne is a slow, misunderstood brick of a man. While trying to come up with a feasible plan for robbing the local bank, the men find themselves more and more involved with the outcome of the upcoming pageant and their relationship with the residents of Happy, Texas. The beautiful Ally Walker co-stars as the local bank manager and Ileana Douglas is the wide-eyed pageant attendant who nearly bursts into frightened tears after watching Zahn's dance demonstration.

It is a cute film and mostly just yuk-yuk laughs (typical mistaken identity comedy), but Steve Zahn elevates the movie with his sincerely spastic attempts to connect with the young girls as the pageant dance choreographer. I was snorting I was laughing so hard. Some mad comic energy, yet lacking that horrible self-aware Jim Carrey style--sweet, quirky, and over the top. I was reminded of Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman (another brilliant pageantry comedy).

Mr. Zahn, I make one mean cup of coffee. If you're ever in my neighborhood...

The small town of Happy, Texas is a quiet little place. It's more like a big family than a town, really. For the past seven years, they've been shamed at the annual Little Miss Fresh Squeezed beauty pageant. This year, however, it's their turn. They're going to make Happy proud. To aid in their efforts, they hired Steven and David, a pair of traveling pageant professionals, who drive from town to town in their dilapidated motor home, teaching little girls to be beauty queens.

Little do the town's residents realize, though, that instead of the homosexual couple they were expecting, they got a pair of escaped convicts (Jeremy Northam and Steve Zahn), who stole the motor home -- and its owners' identities.

The cons, too, have no idea what they've gotten themselves into. So while they try to keep their cover, David (whose name is really Wayne Wayne Wayne, Jr.) teaches a handful of little girls to sing and dance. And Steven (actually Harry Sawyer), tries to figure out how they can rob the local bank -- all the while falling in love with the banker (Ally Walker) and attempting to escape the advances of the town's sherrif, Chappy (William H. Macy).

Happy, Texas is a little-known film, but it's definitely worth seeing. It's absolutely side-splittingly hilarious. Sure, it's a little cheesy sometimes, but what do you expect? It's a comedy.