''Daddy and Them'' is a 2001 American

comedy-drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

written, directed by, and starring

Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller ''One False Move'', and received international attention after writing, directing, a ...

. In addition to Thornton, it stars

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

Laura Dern Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born to actor Bruce Dern and a ...

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his character ...

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...

Kelly Preston Kelly Kamalelehua Smith (October 13, 1962 – July 12, 2020), known professionally as Kelly Preston, was an American actress. She appeared in more than 60 television and film productions, including '' Mischief'' (1985), '' Twins'' (1988), ...

, Diane Ladd, Brenda Blethyn,

Tuesday Knight Tuesday Lynn Knight (born Monday, February 17, 1969) is an American actress, singer and designer. She is best known for her role as Kristen Parker in the 1988 film '' A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master'', replacing Patricia Arquette i ...

Jamie Lee Curtis Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...

, and

Jim Varney James Albert Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his broadly comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as appearing in films and n ...

in his final film appearance before his death in February 2000. ''Daddy and Them'' was filmed in 1998 in the wake of Thornton’s success with ''

Sling Blade A sling blade or kaiser blade is a heavy, hooked, steel blade at the end of a long (around ) handle that is usually made of wood. The blade is double-edged, and both sides are usually kept sharp. It is used to cut brush, briar, and undergrowth. ...

'' and was originally planned as a theatrical release. The release was ultimately delayed by Miramax, who found the film not "commercial" enough. The film debuted at the

Newport International Film Festival Newport International Film Festival was an annual film festival in Newport, Rhode Island, established in 1998. The Newport Film Festival was generally held the first week in June and featured various international films at several local cinemas. ...

on June 6, 2001. Miramax eventually aired the film on

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

in January 2003 and released it on DVD on January 13, 2004.

Plot synopsis

Ruby and Claude Montgomery are a very insecure and jealous couple who must reunite with extended family in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

when Claude's Uncle Hazel is jailed for attempted murder. The couple travels with Ruby's older sister Rose, with whom Claude had a previous relationship, and Ruby and Rose's mother Jewel, who continuously talks about Rose and Claude's past relationship, which irritates Ruby.

Cast

Production

The film was shot in Arkansas from August to October 1998. Filming locations included various sites around Little Rock, including Pinnacle Mountain State Park and the interior of the Arkansas State Capitol. The song from the same-titled album "

In Spite of Ourselves ''In Spite of Ourselves'' is the 13th studio album of John Prine, featuring duets with various well-known women folk and alt-country vocalists, released in 1999. The album was Prine's first release since successfully battling throat cancer. The ...

" used during the closing credits was performed by

and

Iris DeMent Iris Luella DeMent (born January 5, 1961) is an American two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician . DeMent's musical style includes elements of folk, country and gospel. Early life DeMent was born in Paragould, Arkansas, the 14 ...

Release

''Daddy and Them'' initially had a theatrical release date planned for sometime in late 1999 or early 2000. The release date was pushed back as Miramax wanted '' All the Pretty Horses'', a studio film Thornton was directing at the time, to debut first. It continued to sit on the shelf long after ''Horses'' premiered in late 2000. Thornton has commented that friction with Miramax during the production of ''Horses'' played a role in the shelving of ''Daddy and Them''. The film had its world premiere at the

on June 6, 2001.

Reception

''Daddy and Them'' holds an 86% rating based on 7 reviews on the review aggregate site

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

. Eddie Cockrell of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote, "Beneath its deadpan and often absurdist exterior, ''Daddy and Them'' feels like a very personal piece of work about how family really does come first, warts and all." Brad Slager of '' Film Threat'' was more critical, writing, ”Plotless and pedantic, ''Daddy and Them'' is supposed to be a lighthearted look at family dysfunction in the Deep South, but the characters are not enjoyable enough to care about."

References

External links

Official site
* * *
Daddy and Them
' at

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{{Billy Bob Thornton 2001 films Films directed by Billy Bob Thornton Films about dysfunctional families 2001 independent films Films shot in Arkansas Films set in Arkansas 2001 comedy-drama films American comedy-drama films Miramax films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films