The White River Kid (1999)

Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this movie. It was quirky, yes, very quirky, but that was part of its charm. You can't say that The White River Kid was reminiscent of any other movie at all. The script takes grand swipes at Roman Catholicism and rural values as well as throwing the dirt at rustics, crooked sheriffs, sleazy businessmen and aspiring wanna-bes. The acting is well-nigh perfect with Bob Hoskins as an engagingly crooked friar narrowly leading the way from crooked stumble-bum, Antonio Banderas, quick-on-the-trigger outlaw, Wes Bentley and keen-to-be-re-elected sheriff, Randy Travis. The males don't have all the best lines, though they do tend to dominate the action. But who will forget Ellen Barkin as the blind prostitute or Swoosie Kurtz as the bewigged Mummy Weed or young Kim Dickens who makes such a lithe and engaging heroine? The movie was beautifully photographed by Michael Chapman on some really arresting Arkansas (?) locations. Available on an excellent Columbia Tristar DVD under the title, "White River".

gee I mean come on a comedy should be funny,and if not intelligent at least funny, Bob Hoskins really sucks at that film and Antonio probably did not read the script gee its really hopeless I felt that I should tell you the truth in case someone tried to watch the film :) gee I mean come on a comedy should be funny,and if not intelligent at least funny, Bob Hoskins really sucks at that film and Antonio probably did not read the script gee its really hopeless I felt that I should tell you the truth in case someone tried to watch the film :) gee I mean come on a comedy should be funny,and if not intelligent at least funny, Bob Hoskins really sucks at that film and Antonio probably did not read the script gee its really hopeless I felt that I should tell you the truth in case someone tried to watch the film :)

This is a great movie! Sorry, but the plot is inzanely weird, the acting is just funny and the style of the directing, editing and scenes is amazing. I have never been so surprised over a movie, as i have with the White River Kid!

"The White River Kid" just came out on video in Bulgaria. It's usually a warning sign when an American movie is released on video in Bulgaria before its theatrical release in the USA. This movie is no exception to that rule, and the embarrassed actors are probably hoping that the movie never makes it back to its country of origin.I'm not sure what the movie was about. Basically, it requires a group of somewhat talented actors to play ridiculous, one-dimensional stereotypes and interact with each other. A fake priest, a serial killer, a diner waitress, a money-grubbing wetback, a family of hillbillies, a country-singin' local sheriff, and so on. I should mention that a female hillbilly wears an enormous Elvis wig and claims to pray to Elvis. And a couple of "Deliverance" extras are eaten by a herd of killer pigs. I'm not making this up.I think the filmmakers were shooting for "wacky", or "madcap", or "screwball"...instead, they didn't achieve anything more than "embarrassing for all involved".