Awesome film by the Howell brothers, whose father was Hoke Howell a famous character actor who played Dud Wash in the original series. A great family film with recognizable characters and new ones as well.
!/3 of the movie was shot in Andy Griffiths home town, and a Mayberry vibe type town in Danville Indiana, the rest in LA, great scouting locations for sure. It was a well written story with all the elements an all movies, the hero, the pretty girl, protagonists, and the oddball characters. The main reason an Andy wasn't in it is b/c a suitable tribute artist at the time could not be found and instead of throwing someone who auditioned badly into it, it simply was rewritten.
Again it's not a remake, but a carrying on, of the Mayberry spirit which some reviewers could use on here. Wholesome 1960's vibe that we miss and the family values needed and a fun watch for the whole value. On it's own merit, it's worth the watch and may even introduce a new generation to the number one rerun TV show of all time, and why Stark and Cort Howell made it and with a passion, thanks Hoke for having two sons with a mission to keeping the Mayberry spirit alive, with a current and up to date movie and series.
P. S. The Series nor the movie has zero to do with Christian Nationalism as one sorry reviewer posed, he may have been talking about an actor but not the movie, the sad sack couldn't be clear and is clearly a saboteur. It is clear family comedy fun.
