''American Cowslip'' is a 2009 independent American comedy

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

directed by Mark David. It revolves around

heroin addict Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substance use disorder characterized by cravings for opioids, continued use despite physical and/or psychological deterioration, increased tolerance with use, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing opioids. O ...

, Ethan Inglebrink, whose life is centered on his garden and his group of eccentric friends. ''American Cowslip'' is David's third film, following his debut, ''Sweet Thing'' (1999), and his second, acclaimed feature, ''Intoxicating'' (2003). This was Peter Falk's final film appearance two years before his death June 23, 2011.

Plot

Ethan Inglebrink ( Ronnie Gene Blevens) is an

agoraphobic Agoraphobia is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. These situations can ...

heroin addict who lives in a homogeneous

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

town where nothing ever happens. A misfit, clad in a powder blue tux, he has convinced his poker buddies, and surrogate moms, Roe ( Diane Ladd), Sandy (

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...

), and Lou Anne (

Lin Shaye Linda Shaye (born October 12, 1943) is an American film, television, and theater actress. In a career spanning over forty years, she has appeared in more than a hundred feature films. She is perhaps best known for her starring role as Elise Rain ...

), that he is

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

and his needles are for insulin, not heroin. His next-door neighbor is his landlord and former high school football coach Trevor O'Hart ( Rip Torn), who wants nothing more than to kick Ethan out on the street. Complicating matters even further is that Ethan's older brother Todd (

Val Kilmer Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with ''Top Secret!'' (1984) and ''Real Genius'' (1985), as well as the military action film ...

), the local sheriff, is convinced that his brother can only be saved by an act of God, and recruits the family priest ( Peter Falk) to get the job done. Meanwhile, as the Garden of the Year competition draws near, Ethan becomes convinced that he can take the $10,000 top prize and pay off his delinquent rent if he can just grow the perfect American Cowslip. Little does Ethan realize that salvation may lie not in the money he could win for growing a rare flower, but with the companionship and understanding offered by his 17-year-old neighbor Georgia ( Hanna R. Hall), who longs to escape her abusive father ( Bruce Dern).

Cast

Ronnie Gene Blevins Ronnie Gene Blevins (born June 20, 1977) is an American character actor. He is best known for his role as small-time criminal Willie Russell in the 2013 film '' Joe'', directed by David Gordon Green. Career His TV credits include '' NCIS'', '' ...

as Ethan Inglebrink *

as Todd Inglebrink * Diane Ladd as Roe * Rip Torn as Trevor O'Hart *

as Sandy *

as Lou Anne * Josh Perry as Billy * Peter Falk as Father Randolph * Bruce Dern as Cliff * Tom Huddlestone as Rabbi Dave *

Priscilla Barnes Priscilla Anne Barnes (born December 7, 1952) is an American actress."Priscilla Barnes"
AllMovie.com; retr ...

as Samantha * Hanna R. Hall as Georgia * Blake Clark as Grimes *

Trevor Lissauer Trevor Ryan Lissauer (born October 29, 1973) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his role as Miles Goodman in '' Sabrina, the Teenage Witch''. Career Acting Born in Dallas, Texas to a Jewish family, Lissauer began his act ...

as Jim Bob * Erik Fellows as Rourke

References

External links

* * * 2009 films 2009 comedy films American comedy films 2009 independent films Films set in California Films about drugs 2000s English-language films American independent films 2000s American films {{indie-film-stub