A buddy of mine watched this for the first time (it was my second or third) and he captured it perfectly: "It's like 'the Addams Family' in Arkansas, without the creepiness." He was right. If you like movies with small casts, that are quirky, feature great cinematography and use subtle humor to open a window to an interesting little corner of the world, this film is for you. Percy Adlon also works this magic with "Bagdad Cafe" and "Salmonberries." The only disappointment was singer Jim Lauderdale not releasing the equally endearing country/reggae fusion end credits song, "Flyin' Back to Rosalie," an absolute gem. I liked this movie so much, I actually went out of my way while driving across Arkansas to visit the town of Stuttgart, see the Riceland Mill and see the museum, all places where the film was shot.

For those who love Brad Davis, this is a must see movie. It has charm, humor, tenderness, and solid performances all around. It's really about how someone in over their heads takes the system for a ride, and even though some plot moments are somewhat hard to believe, it's a movie you'll love if you let yourself go and enjoy it, without worrying about reality, logic, or whether or not it could "really happen." Brad Davis is handsome and wonderfully clueless as the crop duster with failing eyesight, while Marianne Sagebrecht turns in another of her superb performances as his devoted, spendthrift German wife. In my opinion, it's a cult classic with lots of fun quotable lines. My favorite: "I can't believe the difference."

It was delightfully quirky for the first half hour or so, reminiscent of John Waters, without the grossness or the sex. But it got dull thereafter--never as funny as it should have been--and dwindled to an ending that was so non-climactic, they had to intersperse it between the credits so you'd know it was over. Too bad, because the first part showed a lot of promise. Still, worth seeing if you're in the mood.

Basically, the point of this movie is that everyone worships Marianne Sagebrecht, both the director and her fans. She's got enough charisma and personality to carry the movie on her own. Otherwise, all it's got is a thin plot with some very funny scenes; the direction inclines to pointlessly flashy camerawork. But who cares about inessentials?