On Friday, I played the third wheel/chaperone to my little sister and one of her best friends as we all took in The Dukes of Hazzard starring Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott (Mmm), Willie Nelson, Burt Reynolds, and everyone's favorite blonde, Jessica Simpson.
This movie has had lots of controversy (Ben Jones aka original Cooter slamming the script/Willie as Uncle Jesse/Blonde Daisy/Nylons vs. No Nylons/ Confederate Flag or not?) surrounding it and plenty of bad reviews both by movie critics, "loyal" Duke fans, and other movie goers. I have found all of this stuff preposterous and stupid. The casting was masterful, except perhaps M. C. Gainey as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane. Characterization is fun, with each actor making the role their own, and not trying to emulate the role defined by the show.
The movie plays out like a long episode of the show set in current times, which incidentally includes some cussing. Tragedy strikes when Boss Hogg decides to strip mine Hazzard. The road to stopping him includes bar fights, car chases, a trip to the big city, racing, and Daisy "doin' her thang" by saving the boys from jail. The dialogue is funny, and hits exactly what you'd expect: cheap jokes (and bad ones told by Uncle Jesse), caricatures of the south, Appalachia, country living, and hicktowns in general.
Don't go expecting philosophical discussion or deep thinking (It's a movie titled The Dukes of Hazzard NOT a book like War and Peace!). It's pure entertainment and low ball humor. What else are you expecting.
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