The Straight 2 Video Chronicles

Daddy & Them

Tagline: It’s hard to stand by your man … when your sister’s sitting in his lap. This line lies directly below a photo-shopped picture of Billy Bob Thornton (director and writer of this gem) with his pants around his ankles. Hey, I wouldn’t want my real picture above a moronic public relation one-liner like that.

Plot: A family of rednecks gathers for a reunion of sorts after one of the brothers is arrested for murder; and, surprise, the family members drink a lot, are extremely stupid and the revelation is rife with sexual tension between in-laws. The movie starts off fairly humorous, but eventually gets caught up in melodramatic quicksand, beating the viewer over the head with anticlimactic scenes reinforcing the importance of true love and honesty. And where better to learn these important life lessons than a comedy about hillbillies? No thanks.

Best line: Although the movie may be a bit too unparallel for a successful comedy, Thornton definitely shows why he’s a damn funny writer. Here’s the best two: Billy Bob’s character explaining how he got in a car accident, “We was headed that way and J.C. bent over to pick up his Molly Hatchet tape and we been like this ever since.” Another gem is: “We never been any further than St. Louis, baby… and that wasn’t for you, it was for the Cardinals.”

The real moral of the story: Billy Bob Thornton is the biggest redneck ever. But man, he’s a good actor. I mean, he’s always taking on these big, dumb, drunk, sleazy southern bumpkins as roles. It’s a real stretch for him. Someone should call the academy.