Unquestionable, this is a bizarre film! It's a cynical docu-drama (mockumentry?) about a real-life woman in Texas who plotted to kill another mom whose daughter was in junior high school cheer-leading competition with her daughter.
Holly Hunter is outstanding as the "competively-challenged" mother, "Wanda Holloway." The only thing I objected to was Hollywood, as usual, going out of its way to make you we know that the strange woman was a regular church-goer. They just love it when when they can make a church attender look bad. They never show the opposite. Anyway, I liked Beau Bridges in his low-key in his role of "Terry Harper" and thought he was just as entertaining as Hunter.
Hunter, with her real Texas twang that we have to endure in her other films, is perfect for this role. Her accent is so strong in here it's hard to understand a third of what she says, but her acting and the fascinating story make this fun to watch. Once again, we see the classic case of a parent living his or her dreams through a child, which isn't funny in real life. A number of kids have been ruined by overzealous parents. There also is a slam in here on the tabloid-television media. Who can argue with that!
I was amazed to find out this was a made-for-TV film. It certainly doesn't have that look and feel.
Holly Hunter is outstanding as the "competively-challenged" mother, "Wanda Holloway." The only thing I objected to was Hollywood, as usual, going out of its way to make you we know that the strange woman was a regular church-goer. They just love it when when they can make a church attender look bad. They never show the opposite. Anyway, I liked Beau Bridges in his low-key in his role of "Terry Harper" and thought he was just as entertaining as Hunter.
Hunter, with her real Texas twang that we have to endure in her other films, is perfect for this role. Her accent is so strong in here it's hard to understand a third of what she says, but her acting and the fascinating story make this fun to watch. Once again, we see the classic case of a parent living his or her dreams through a child, which isn't funny in real life. A number of kids have been ruined by overzealous parents. There also is a slam in here on the tabloid-television media. Who can argue with that!
I was amazed to find out this was a made-for-TV film. It certainly doesn't have that look and feel.