''Accidental Texan'' (formerly titled ''Chocolate Lizards'') is a 2023 American
comedy-drama
Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
film directed by Mark Lambert Bristol, and starring
Thomas Haden Church,
Rudy Pankow,
Carrie-Anne Moss and
Bruce Dern. The is based on the 1999 novel ''Chocolate Lizards'' by Cole Thompson.
The film was released in the United States by
Roadside Attractions on 8 March 2024.
Premise
When Harvard grad Erwin gets kicked off the set of his first acting gig for leaving his phone on, he flees in his car only to break down deep in Texas oil country. Lacking funds to repair his car, he accepts local driller Merle's offer to work on his site. He then discovers the project is failing and Merle begs him to help by acting as an oil expert leading the project.
Cast
*
Thomas Haden Church as Merle
*
Rudy Pankow as Erwin Vandeveer
[
* Carrie-Anne Moss as Faye][
* Bruce Dern as Scheermeyer][
* Brad Leland as Max Dugan
*]Julio Cesar Cedillo
Julio César Cedillo is a Mexican actor, best known for the title role in the 2005 film ''The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada''.
Early life
Cedillo was born in Durango (city), Durango, Mexico:de:Zusammenstellung der vor%C3%BCbergehenden Lang ...
as Sheriff Nall[
]
Production
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
began in Austin, Texas
Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
on October 13, 2021,
Release
The film premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 29, 2023.
In January 2024, it was announced that Roadside Attractions acquired North American distribution rights to the film.
''Accidental Texan'' was released theatrically on March 8, 2024.
Reception
Joe Leydon of '' Variety'' wrote: "The next time you hear someone complain that they sure don't make them like they used to, point them in the direction of ''Accidental Texan'', an unapologetically old-fashioned feel-good dramedy
Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
that, with a few minor tweaks, could pass as a newly rediscovered family-friendly feature from the mid-1970s".
References
External links
* at Roadside Attractions
*
*
* {{Rotten Tomatoes
American comedy-drama films
Films shot in Texas
2023 comedy-drama films
2020s English-language films
English-language comedy-drama films
Films based on American novels
Roadside Attractions films