Southern Belles
Southern Belles
| 01 January 2005 (USA)
Southern Belles Trailers

Bell and Belle want to break out of their trailer park lives and get up and out to the "Big City" of Atlanta. Just when they think they are on their way to getting a nest egg Bell falls for a handsome police officer named Rhett Butler.

Reviews
Amy Adler

In southern Georgia, two "belles" are floundering in their twenties. Belle Scott (Anna Faris) works for the local warehouse store, where she must hawk customers in the hot July 4th sun, dressed in patriotic garb. HER most fervent wish is to move to Atlanta and start life over again. Her closest friend, Bell Granger (Laura Breckenridge) is a more content resident of their small town but has been having problems with her country-rap boyfriend who treats her with little respect. This Bell may decide to move north with Belle after all. That is, until she is stopped for a minor traffic violation from a handsome trooper, Rhett Butler (Justin Chambers). What luck to find the second coming of a famous literary man! Yet, even then, problems arise and the ladies try to raise funds for their move to Atlanta. They babysit, they sell cosmetics door to door and try hard to fill a money jar to purchase their tickets to the Big City. Will it be so for these beautiful belles? This independent film has its moments but, as a first effort for the writer-director, has problems, too. Its story is uneven and similar to various other get-out-of-Dullsville story lines. However, there are very humorous moments. Paris and Breckenridge do great as the put-upon belles while the rest of the cast is fine, too. Add on nice sets and costumes and the final result is a film indie-flick lovers might embrace. Folks in the deep South might get a kick out of it, too.

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TxMike

Set in Georgia, filmed in North Carolina. About Belle and Bell.Belle and Bell were simply accidentally named almost the same, but as young adults are best friends. Living in a very small town about 250 miles SW of Atlanta. Belle works as a sales clerk in the local variety store, Bell tends the bar at the local saloon. Their lives are mundane and the guys are, as Bell says, "the butt crack of humanity."Anna Faris is Belle Scott and Laura Breckenridge is Bell Granger . One day while day-dreaming of sorts Belle picks up a leaflet on Atlanta and brings it home, shows Bell, they are going to break out of their humdrum, dead-end lives and go off to the big city. But first they need money, Belle figures just under $3000. So they save their tips, do odd jobs, all with Atlanta as their goal.But them Bell meets a new guy, Justin Chambers as the local police, Rhett Butler. They hit it off but Bell neglects to tell him she and Belle are going to Atlanta. Until later. But that causes new issues.The whole movie has a sort of feel of the old 'Dukes of Hazard' TV series. There is even a car chase scene that seems like it is going in slow motion at times. There is hunting for wild turkey. Friends with a living room filled with mounted wildlife on the walls. Truly an overall dumb comedy but with a few good laughs. I watched it for one reason, I like Anna Faris and I had not seen this one yet, made before she became better known. SPOILER: When the two girls finally got in the car and started for Atlanta 250 miles away, they got only as close as 238 miles. Bell missed Rhett and went back for him. He proposed. As the movie ends Belle is boarding the bus, heading to Atlanta by herself.

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shawnalit

Definitely a buy. I first thought it would be a campy movie that would be a good way to kill two hours with. Wrong... watched it twice in one evening and can't wait to see it with my friend later today.This movie has so many different nuances and contrasts in it that just watching it the second time makes it worth while. For example, there's a bar fight scene where Belle is sitting leisurely at the bar sipping her beer and scheming while behind her two characters are literally doing a fast paced fist dance scene. Fists up, move twice back then twice forward while partner does the same. They each have a buddy who decides to react differently to the situation. What you think is going to happen in this movie... rarely does.The more I think about it, the more I appreciate it. I rarely encounter a movie that makes me want to view the script and see where the director added to it but this one does.The characters are awesome. Justin Chambers is the only one whose work I've seen before. He plays such a different character in this movie as compared to his role as Alex in 'Grey's Anatomy" that it's hard to believe it's even him. His acting is that good. He is a strong, down to earth (literally), character that makes you feel for him. In fact, it would be impossible to not identify with a lot of the characters in the movie.Sound... whoever did the music in this one knew what they were doing. They knew when to put in the sappy music and when to scratch the album, thereby emphasizing what was going on in that scene and added the voice of the characters instead of usurping it.Very interesting movie that I highly recommend. I'd love to say more but...

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Jenn Brown

If you're from the south, live in the south, or have spent any time there, you'll appreciate the irreverent humor in SOUTHERN BELLES.Two life long friends, Bell and Belle, decide to move to Atlanta. Bell is tired of working in the discount store from hell. But Bell has a boyfriend, a rap loving cracker who's car is under Bell's name. Only it's not so easy to leave town.SOUTHERN BELLES makes fun of the south and people in it with the sensibility of someone who's been there, with a lot of insight, and a lot of heart. Both lead actresses are well cast and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. It's not destined to be a blockbuster, but you're sure to leave with a grin.Look for the GONE WITH THE WIND references throughout the film.

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