Poor White Trash

This movie is for fans of Russ Meyer films! I was cracking up at this silly, wacky low-budget masterpiece. The cinematography was great and purposefully bad! The acting was hilarious. The story was chaotic and a pretty good representation of weird things that happen in a small American town. Jamie Pressly is truly funny and superb in this. If you don't 'get' this movie, that is really too bad for you. 10 out of 10!

This movie was shot almost entirely in Franklin County, Illinois. When the crew came to town they told authorities their working title was Good Morning Sunrise. The locals anxiously cooperated in the production, including use of police uniforms and equipment to use of the Courthouse at night for filming courtroom scenes. (Although the Franklin County Courthouse in Benton was used for interior shots, exteriors were taken in front of the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro. Many local officials auditioned for bit parts, and I was personally disappointed that a local police chief that had a noticeable stutter wasn't cast. When the movie came out with it's title Poor White Trash, the locals were infuriated and the film was blasted in the local papers. A side note- Mr. Snack's is an actual restaurant which was closed at the time of the film. It has since reopened and still stands on Route 14 in Christopher, Illinois. And one of our county judges proudly displays an autographed photo of M. Emmett Walsh.

As a Southern Illinois native myself, I can say without a doubt this movie only scratches the surface of Southern Illinois people. So.Il. does have it's share of "rednecks" but that is not the majority. It's interesting to read the claims of accurate representation of former SIU students from the north. Much of SIU's enrollment come from northern Illinois residents who flock to the college for it's money saving advantages. So really most social interactions are northerner to northerner. To be labeled something by people because of geographical location is a bit narrow minded and absurd. That being said I enjoyed the movie and thought it was rather entertaining. It was funny and the cast was an interesting mix but they all worked really well together. My favorite part was the beer can lawn art!

This is the epitome of white trailer trash movies. Nothing else comes close. Where else can you find a lawyer with a law office in a mall with a name like "Ron Lake's Land 'O Law"? If you're looking for a good laugh without having to follow the plot, then this is your movie!!!

If I ever get homesick when I move to Chicago, all I need do is pop this in. We don't live far from southern Ilinois, here. The characters are so expertly unpolished as to make one forget they are watching a movie and not sitting in their neighbor's trailer. I could smell the greasy fries and burgers in the fast food joint they 'robbed', and even felt the need to wash my face and hands after the 'oh so could be me or a neighbor' bungled murder scene. The absurd desperation and nefarious persistence of most of America's less than fortunate, but quite numerous population of us 'Poor White Trash' was funny without insulting, for it showed we have quite a drive to thrive no matter what! Thank you for the snickers and snorts! Cherry Cola

A must see for the kitch lovers, airstream clubbers, or just plain folks, an excellent study of the absurd but true to life story and characters. Great chance to see 2 actors from Blade Runner strut their stuff years later, but neither lessened by those years.