Sordid Lives (2000)

As three generations of a family in a small Texas town gather for a funeral, we learn the hilarious, sad, trashy truth of the "Sordid Lives."

Director:

Del Shores

Writers:

Del Shores (play), Del Shores (screenplay)

Stars:

Olivia Newton-John, Kirk Geiger, Delta Burke

5 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olivia Newton-John	...	Bitsy Mae Harling
Kirk Geiger	...	Ty Williamson
Sarah Hunley	...	Juanita Bartlett
Newell Alexander	...	Wardell 'Bubba' Owens
Beau Bridges	...	G.W. Nethercott
Earl Houston Bullock	...	Odell Owens (as Earl H. Bullock)
Beth Grant	...	Sissy Hickey
Delta Burke	...	Noleta Nethercott
Leslie Jordan	...	Earl 'Brother Boy' Ingram
Mitch Carter	...	Bumper
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Latrelle Williamson
Sharron Alexis	...	Sara Kaufman
Ann Walker	...	LaVonda DuPree
Mary Margaret Lewis	...	Ethel (as Mary-Margaret Lewis)
Rosemary Alexander	...	Dr. Eve Bolinger

Storyline

We become intimate with the "Sordid Lives" of a family in a small Texas town preparing for the funeral of the mother. Among the characters are the grandson trying to find his identity in West Hollywood, the son who has spent the past twenty-three years dressed as Tammy Wynette, the sister and her best friend (who live in delightfully kitschy homes), and the two daughters (one strait-laced and one quite a bit looser).

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Plot Keywords:

texas | funeral | friend | actress | santa monica boulevard hollywood | 

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Taglines:

A black comedy about white trash.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 May 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rongy élet

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$13,167 (USA) (11 May 2001)

Gross:

$1,079,726 (USA) (2 July 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daly-Harris Productions, Davis Entertainment Classics, Sordid Lives LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film contains many of the original actors from the long running stage-production, with the actors who originated the Bonnie Bedelia and Beau Bridges roles (Mary Margaret Lewis and Mitch Carter) playing the receptionist Ethel and security guard in the mental institution.

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Goofs

In our first view of the corpse, it is wearing red lipstick. In the very next view, the lips are pink. Then they are red again in subsequent scenes.

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Quotes

Brother Boy: Ohhhkaayyyyyyy

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Crazy Credits

The DVD has an extended (but deleted) version of Grandma Peggy's rant after the credits.

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Connections

Version of Sordid Lives: The Series (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Till I Can Make It On My Own"
Written by George Richey, Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette
Performed by Tammy Wynette
Used by permission of EMI ALGEE MUSIC CORP/SONG OF UNIVERSAL, INC.
Courtesy of Sony Special Products

User Reviews

Just like Sunday's at Mamaw's house

One of the funniest movies I have ever seen. We've watched it so many times we know the lines by heart. These people are all in my family, and I've often wanted to holler out myself to some of my relatives "Shoot her Wardel, shoot her in the head." I can relate to being gay in a small southern town.

My partner and I are gay in Arkansas, although they have just tried to pass a law to prevent us from being so. But for some reason "It ain't a workin" and there are more of us coming out now that the election's over than before. You'll laugh til you cry when Brother Boy sings Til I Can make it on My Own to the psycho with a fish in her ear - although I do not believe this was one of her "early years" songs. Watch it 10 times and then you can pretend you're in the cast.