6/10
While this film might hurt Southern tourism, it won't hurt the mystique of life in the South.
14 April 2004
What can I say about this film, except that it's perhaps the most bizarre travelogue I've ever seen - that works! Probably because it's subject is the small towns of the Deep South where the natives slavish devotion to Jesus via the Pentecostal faith produces no shortage of bizarre rituals from faith-healing to speaking in tongues. Best of all is 'tour guide'-musician Jim White who explores the region via a beat-up Chevy sporting a porcelain Jesus figurine (almost lifesize) hanging out the trunk. White is a natural storyteller and shares his bizarre memories of life in the South in between the truly freakish episodes that occur in each town as the locals gladly share their wit, wisdom. music, and sadness. If you liked the 'scene-intrusive' band in "There's Something About Mary" then you'll love the zany musicians that appear out of nowhere to provide musical codas to each segment. Appalachian, folk, and black humor laden ballads dominate the score of this truly strange undertaking. Director David Lynch ("Wild at Heart") may be on hiatus, but these guys are filling the gap. My one reservation is that some of the segments don't work as well as others so it's definitely not a perfect film, but it is very 'different', so if that's what you like then check it out. If you needed one more reason NOT to go south of the Mason-Dixon line this documentary has got it!!!-lol!
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