Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom

 

 

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This is one of the best satires I have ever seen on film.
Holly Hunter gives the performance of her career & Swoosie Kurtz & Beau Bridges are outstanding. But all the performances are hilarious & perfectly on target.

The material is universally outrageous - all the more so for being based on a true story. Michael Ritchie was a brilliant director whose work has been sadly neglected. Prime Cut & Smile are two of his other masterpieces which deserve resurrection & pristine restoration on DVD.

Isn't it interesting how many so many of the best & most outrageous films are about Texas: This plus Texas Chainsaw Massacre plus Murder in Texas plus True Stories. Then there's Alamo...

Only in America! It's hard to believe that the plot to this movie was actually based on a true story from Texas. This production is now up there with 'Tin MenEas one of my ten favorite American movies, not just for the careful satire, but for the celebration of 'AmericanaE it truly is the kind of story, played out by a cast of intriguing characters, which could not have come from anywhere else in the world.
Michael Ritchie did an excellent job of presenting this story as half-comedy, half-documentary. Not that there should be anything comical about a real-life murder plot, but some of the characters involved really do defy imagination, to the point where the rest of us literally cannot take them seriously. The story thus has all the ingredients with which it could easily degenerate into farce, but Ritchie skilfully keeps the plot and the screenplay very credible for the viewer. Particulaly appealing was Ritchie's poignantly subtle Eand beautifully satirical Etreatment of the US media's appetite for sensationalism, which remains instructive to this day. So we have neurotic suburban housewives and their spoiled teenage daughters, bumbling detectives, prim-and-proper school teachers, lowbrow tabloid journalists, and a bungled murder conspiracy, all revolving around the insipid culture of high-school cheerleading in a small American town. It's a potent mix!
But the masterstroke was the casting of Holly Hunter in the lead role. Ten years on, hers remains the finest performance I have ever seen from an American actress. She didn't just act a part; she became the character Elike the true theatrical professional she is. So you can keep Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and all the other over-hyped, over-paid 'starsE Holly Hunter's high-quality, low-profile professionalism sets an example in this movie that I so wish others would follow. But don't just take my word for it; it's significant that all the other reviewers here have gone out of their way to mention this lady's outstanding performance, and rightly so. Thank you, Holly! Equally significant is the fact that all reviewers have awarded it five stars; again, rightly so.
All around, this movie gets just the right balance between satire and fact. We have an excellent director, an outstanding actress in the lead role, a very competent supporting cast, and a true-but-hard-to-believe, unsophisticated, all-American story, all presented in a very efficient 90 minutes. Don't let the title fool you; there's nothing farcical about it. It is both watchable and memorable.

Holly Hunter gives a great performance in a HBO movie that was perfect for her. The story centers around a woman who wants to have her daughter's cheerleading rival axed to assure her daughter a spot on the cheerleading squad. All the actors do a great job but it is Holly Hunter that nails her role and keeps you glued to the set. The director did a great job of not making the character someone that you hated completely, instead showing a woman that doesn't realize how horrific her actions truely are. Also stars Beau Bridges.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Too Good To Be True!
Simply stating that this movie is good is an understatement! Holly Hunter's performance with an outstanding supporting cast was spectacular. Read more

Published on July 8 2002 by Anitra McIntyre

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost too convincing
This movie succeeds in being hugely entertaining thanks to Holly Hunter's amazing performance in the title role. Read more

Published on Jun 10 2000 by A. Griffiths

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome acting, great comedic script
This movie was hysterical! I loved Holly Hunter - she definitely deserved an Emmy for her performance. Read more

Published on July 16 1999

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