Baseshment
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Odelecol
Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
Bluebell Alcock
Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
LeonLouisRicci
Not Without Curiosity and Concern about the Transsexual/Gay/Lesbian Alternative Lifestyle, this Odd Movie is a Well Acted Murder-Mystery that has a Backdrop of Corrupt Communities Overseen by Semi-Crooked Cops and Politicians, with Citizens that are Witless and Willing and Clueless to an Out of Sync World Around Them.The Sexual Deviance of the Alternative Types Almost Looks More Appealing than the Rut of Rural Life that is the Lair of the Supposed Straights in this Movie. The Slant is Definitely on the Side of the Underdog and Ostracized "New Orleans" way of Life. It does make its Case in an Atmosphere that Focuses on a Mid-Witted, Half-Corrupt Cop that has a Father that is a Basket Case, Mentally Impaired Alcoholic, and a Brother who was Kicked Out of this "Ideal" Location because He was Different.There are More Dysfunctionals, like His Estranged District Attorney Wife and Goth Daughter and there are more Sub-Plots, like Billy Bob Thornton's Badge Wearing Protagonist being Framed for Statutory Rape and Forced Off the Ballot for Re Election because He is On to Something that could Bring Down the Governor.There are a lot of Ingredients in this Gumbo and it is Remarkable that it Somehow Works and Comes Together in the End. It's Strength is in its Daring Display of the Gay Lifestyle with Some Sympathy and Understanding. As a Murder Mystery it is Less Compelling and the Reveal is a Revolting Revelation that is Nervously Uncomfortable. The Rest of the Movie will Probably be Uncomfortable for those with a Disdain for the LGBT Lifestyle.
OJT
Billy Bob Thornton does another good role as more or less corrupted Mississippi small-town Sheriff Darl Hardwick. A sheriff who drinks too much (just like his father), bends corners to get reelected, and is heavily prejudiced both towards genders and races.The story gives you a bad taste in your mouth, but nevertheless the story and slow pace gives a good picture of southern small-town prejudices.Rotten morals and ethics shines of this movie, until someone is trying to get rid of Darl, after him finding the transvestite Mona in a swamp after sex-party...I found myself liking the movie very much, and the ending is also good, but somewhere on the road the story loses grip. Still interesting, but something is missing from the plot. You really don't believe the trouble Darl gets in when Monas wife gets the grip of him...Due to this it's not easy to give this more than a 7 or 8 out of ten, but I think many fans of Thornton and Arquette will like this one.Absolutely worthwhile watching, and not far from becoming a cult classic. Go see it!
dracher
Anyone who contributes to the blab that Mr Thornton's characterisation of Darl was too close to his equally excellent characterisation of Hank in Monster Ball is not really contributing, or thinking very deeply. I have said as much before and I will say again here; Mr Thornton is the very best character actor in the US today and one of the best in the world.It is no surprise to find a great actor tackling scripts that are well out of the main stream, this shows a thinking caring actor who is prepared to take risks and give more credibility to the work than to the star spin offs.This movie is not a great one, but it is a very worthwhile experience that is, at least, thought provoking and contains some very fine acting from most of it's cast. The only real problem was the writer/director combination. This is not to say that the writing or the direction was bad, on the contrary, the direction particularly was very sound and the writing was fine though a little too "formular" in its shape. It's nearly always a mistake to direct ones own work, like reading ones own poetry, it becomes very hard to let a line go in an instant, when one is aware of how long it took to birth it. The Badge is fine and has some real strengths, its weakness lies in the denouement where there is the sense of a rather obvious ball being suddenly rushed to the goal post before time runs out for the some what staged final scene.This work is worth the effort on many fronts, B.B.Thornton is excellent and that woman! what a sterling performance she gives in a very difficult role and against all kinds of odds. If you have not seen this movie and are thinking about it, then do it and do it now!
TxMike
The movie is set and filmed in the areas I lived in for some time, and I can assure everyone that the characters depicted bear little resemblance to the people and politicians that really live there.The movie opens at night with a female figure running through some swampy land, then onto a 2-lane road where a big rig driver runs down a short embankment and deposits the trailer on its side in the muddy ditch to avoid hitting her. In daylight they find the body, while Sheriff Darl (Thornton) is supervising the distribution to the local folk of the shoes that were on the truck. After all, it is an election year. So, the movie is about trying to find the killer of this woman, 'Mona', amidst political jockeying for a casino and the governor's re-election. Moderately interesting and entertaining.SPOILERS. BIG ONES. CAREFUL. In the morgue it turns out the dead 'lady' has a penis and breasts, is in fact a trans-sexual. Her 'wife' turns up, Scarlett (Patricia Arquette) who dances in a New Orleans dive. Through much of the movie it appears that the dead 'entertainer' had been at a party with the governor, and that one of the politicians had shot and killed her, it turns out that the mildly retarded filling station operator did the shooting. He had a peephole in the wall so that he could spy on pretty girls using the toilet, and was so disgusted when he saw Mona's male equipment, he chased and shot him/her, wounded he/she was able to run a bit before collapsing and dying in the ditch near the overturned truck. Sheriff had traced a call Mona placed to Scarlett from the phone booth at the filling station, and that was the last place she had been before she died.
