Stars & Bars (1988)

Mysteriously attractive humor

Yeah, I know that the critics hated it, and I can sometimes find reasons to agree with their assesments. But, I am mysteriously drawn to this farce. The notion of mixing Renoir, New York City "artworld" sophistication, the "new" South and the old, spiced with as many stereotypical characters as possible takes theatre of absurdity into an uncharted territory. I love how over the top are the characters; how the plot while seemingly a series of unconnected events manages to collect itself, and how the resolution is somewhat surprising.

No S&B is not a great film, maybe not even a good one, but it has the appeal of a cult film that make me want to watch it again to try and figure out what the film maker is trying to tell me. On the way I discover another joke that I have missed, or I laugh again at the familiar ones. I have recommended this film to many, some of which laugh with me, and others who shake their heads and walk away. Enjoy it if you are able. June 13, 2008

Funny and cool

I saw this movie in the early '90's when independent and foreign films were still independent in the real sense. At this point, I had only seen Daniel Day-Lewis in Room With A View, so this movie was a significant departure from that. It is a fish-out-of-water comedic film. A Britsh art-dealer living in New York (and dating the boss's daughter) is sent to the South to collect a valuable painting from the estate of an eccentric Southern gentleman. Along the way, he encounters the woman of his dreams and the man's wacky family. High jinks ensue.

I really liked it. The casting was genius: Laurie Metcalf, Glenne Headley, Joan Cusack, Maury Chaykin, Will Patton, and many others. While funny and strange with a touch of Southern gothic, the film also questions the real value of American success. A good companion film would be Shy People with Barbara Hershey. June 18, 2004

Brit meets NYC meets Georgia

My father's from GA, my husband's from England & we've both lived in/near NYC. So this film hit us where we've lived. Having seen "In the name of the Father" & "Gangs of NY" we couldn't imagine Day-Lewis in a comedic role but he was brilliant. His physical shtick was prime: absurd canoe rowing at the Atlanta hotel & especially his nude escape from bad guys who were also after the priceless Renoir. Jogging down the NYC streets in a cardboard box, he was rippingly funny. The ever-wonderful Harry Dean Stanton was perfect as the "Big Daddy" of a completely dilapidated Southern Mansion. All the minor characters did great jobs of work, especially the trailer wife (not sure of actress's name). We could've done w/ more of Joan Cusak & her bright comedic heart but truly this film is FOUR & 1/2 Stars! ... February 5, 2003

ONE OF THE WORST USES OF A GOOD CAST.

I honestly thought that this was going to be a very entertaining movie when I came across it. Joan Cusack and Martha Plimpton are two of the best comedic actresses of our time. Laurie Metcalf excels at dry humor. Mix in the talented acting of Daniel Day-Lewis, Harry Dean Stanton, Glenne Headly & Deirdre O'Connell and it is all but a guaranteed success, right? Sadly, the answer is "No".

One of the key problems is that this movie completely centers around Daniel Day-Lewis. He actually does a fine job playing Henderson, an appraiser who works for a New York art dealer. The trouble is that this film isn't quite sure how to use the rest of the cast. Literally all of the other roles are relatively minor. I didn't time it, but I would be stunned if anyone else in the cast was actually onscreen for more than 20 minutes of the entire movie. When you have a cast of this caliber, that can be considered nothing short of criminal.

The basic plot revolves around Henderson having to travel to Georgia. The purpose of his trip is to inspect a painting which is believed to be worth around $10 million. While there, he has to deal with the members of an eccentric family. Of course, things don't go smoothly. Henderson encounters the usual silly problems that you find in many '80s comedies. The film is quite uninspired.

For those of you who lust after Daniel Day-Lewis, I would highly recommend seeking this movie out. He was only about 30 when he starred in this picture and he has an extended nude scene after he is forced to strip by some second rate hoods. "Stars And Bars" is a watchable film but I can only imagine how it would've turned out with a better script and tighter directing. Unfortunately...I'll never know. March 17, 2002

Too Funny!

The critics chose to trash this movie but it kept us in stiches the whole time. Day-Lewis plays the perfect British flop and the rednecks cast in the movie are hilarious! January 7, 2002

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