Review of Daddy and Them (2001) by James H — 08 Mar 2005

[color=white]There are an equal amount of reaons why Billy Bob Thronton's [i]Daddy & Them [/i]is both theatrical release and straight to DVD worthy. In the end I say the choice to send this past theaters and right to video was a bad one. I know there are many less than good aspects about this ultimate hillbilly comedy, but that's no reason to reject its box-office and wider audience chances. There are also many uproarious moments in the film as well, and compared to most of the popular comedies in theaters regularly these days, this is triumphant. [/color].

[color=white]The movie was made in 2001 but didn't see itself fall onto video store shelves until two years later. Thornton writes, directs, stars and brings along a cast that works wonders together. The family of characters are played by Laura Dern, Kelly Preston, Andy Griffith, Brenda Blethyn, and Jim Varney. There are also two great tiny roles made into something more memorable than they could've been by Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck. Thornton' script is so over the top at times, but it's likeability grabs you and won't let go, so you ultimately surrender. [/color].

[color=white]The star power alone should've given this one a shot at the big screen 4 years ago. Although there are scenes that fall flat on their face, this is a comedy that I think many people could find entertaining. Thornton and Dern's radically up and down relationship alone is enough to recommend this film. [/color].