Review of Outside Providence (1999) by Courtney K — 28 Dec 2004

Outside Providence (1999) -- "It's a horn, huh? A music horn?".

Timothy Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy) is a high school junior in Pawtucket, NY back in the 70's. He's from a family that has had its share of trouble and hangs with friends that are lots of fun, if you're going nowhere. One night, he crashes into the back of a cop car and winds up going to a prep school to avoid jail time. His new world and his old world interact in poignant and hilarious ways, and Timothy finds a way to transcend them both.

This is a good story and a lot of fun to watch. The film was created by the Farrell brothers, who also have Dumb and Dumber, and There's Something About Mary to their credit. There's a scene where Timothy gets a letter from his friend Drugs, which was opened by the school administrator and read aloud while Timothy sank deeper and deeper into his chair. Fucking hilarious!

"Yesterday, we received a letter [from an individual named Drugs] addressed simply to Cornwall Academy, Cornwall, Connecticut. So, naturally we, uh, we opened it and read it -- you may want to sit down.".

There were a lot of funny moments in the film and the soundtrack of popular 70's tunes was a definite plus. But it's the powerful messages about responsibility, commitment and accountability that make this film so good.

Also, Halosy's character talks just like my old roommate, which made it even more funny for me. Recently, I traveled to Providence to watch him play hockey, and I think that connection also added to my enjoyment. He's playing hockey for St. Cloud now. I'll have to ask him if he's seen this movie.