Happy, Texas

This film is about 2 straight escaped prisoners having to pose as 2 gay beauty pageant organisers to conceal their identities.

This film started a bit slow, but soon afterward it became very funny. Steve Zahn did very well in his role, and he was very convincing as a rough bandit. His solo performance on doing funny movements and pulling silly faces was fun to watch.

I also enjoyed the subplot about the sheriff (William H Macy) and David (Jeremy Northam) a lot. Wiliam H Macy gave a fine performance especially in the scene where they went hunting for hares, and in the scene where David refused him to enter the room when they were preparing for the performance. I could relate to sheriff's character so much that I felt his pain. My heart ached when I saw the sheriff crying on the hill.

I do recommend this film, it is warm and funny!

Happy, Texas is a laugh out loud comedy starring Wayne Northam, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy, Ally Walker and Ileana Douglas.

Northam is Harry and Zahn is Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr., both convicts who escape from a crashed van with another convict. The third convict takes off.

Harry and Wayne steal a trailer, and then are mistaken for the owners, two gay guys, Steve and David, who are to put together a beauty pageant in Happy, Texas.

Deciding to combine their pageant work with robbing the local bank and skipping town, David (Zahn) and Steve (Northam) are surprised to find out that the it's a kids' beauty pageant.

Wayne gets stuck getting the girls ready, while Harry befriends the bank owner Jo (Walker) so he can get the keys to the bank and any information he needs.

Since the guys aren't gay, Steve finds himself falling for Jo and David gets involved with Doreen (Douglas), the kids' teacher.

There are some unforeseen consequences, one of which is that the sheriff Chappy (Macy) is gay and declares his love for Steve. Then the third convict shows up.

Very, very funny premise and a riotous script by Ed Stone, Mark Illsey, and Phil Reeves, with Illsey giving brisk direction, Happy Texas is funny, sweet, and crazy. Unlike many comedies today, it doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator with crudeness.

Very enjoyable, with Macy's crying jag the funniest thing in the movie, or maybe Steve Zahn preparing choreography for the girls is the best. Hard to decide. See it for yourself.

Happy Texas is one of the greatest comedies you've probably never heard of. Shot in just 29 days on a shoestring budget, this film's acting, directing, script and comedic timing are so clever and incisive that it has attracted an almost cult following, especially among Steve Zahn fans.

There are plots within plots that all pull together in the end to make a perfect film. Starting with escaped convicts (Wayne Wayne Wayne played by Steve Zahn and Harry Sawyer played by Jeremy Northam) who have to hide and steal an RV belonging to two gay pageant designers, to discovering the gay lifestyle in a small Texas community (Happy), to finding love in the arms of a doe-eyed banker (Ally Walker ...sorry for the cliché, but she really does have doe-eyes), this movie hits on all aspects of life and puts a hilarious spin on them.

The greatest things about this film were Steve Zahn's acting while trying to teach pre-teen girls how to dance, and William H. Macy's stunning performance as Happy's town sheriff who comes out of the closet.

Always sharp, incredibly funny, superbly paced, this movie's small budget belies its excellent acting and directing.

Few films will tickle your funny bone as perfectly as HAPPY Texas. Watch it. Buy it. Live it!

Once again, William Macy proved that he has incredible talent, and that does not include the wonderful performances of the other actors. The writing was outstanding. This was a fresh and creative plot. This is the type of movie I thoroughly enjoy. The children in the film also did a fine job. It has a lot of twists and turns which add greatly to the movie. Happy, Texas is a rather fast-paced comedy which holds your attention. Even though as film-making goes, this was a low-budget production, that did not in any way detract from the professionalism and filming. All of the actors truly excelled. I highly recommend this film.

I saw this film recently, for the second time, with a friend who hadn't seen it before.

It has a solid cast, with roles all well-played, and all who are just a bit shy of being on Hollywood's "A" list - but not because of any lacking talent or appeal.

There are a lot of previous comments here, so I would just add that it is a thoroughly enjoyable film, all the characters likable (even the couple of "bad" guys, in their own way).

You are completely aware of the basic ending of the story from the outset, and can pretty well guess most of the exact details as it moves along. However, this isn't meant to be suspenseful, and, as a quiet, modestly-budgeted presentation, it outdoes most of the "A-list," super-budget extravaganzas by a mile.