TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! JULIE NEWMAR (PG-13)
Directed by Beeban Kidron Running Time: 109 minutes Originally Released: 1995
Reviewed by E. Benjamin Kelsey
* * 1/2 (out of four)
TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! JULIE NEWMAR opens up with a parade of drag queens on stage, dancing and frollicking to music. It strongly resembles THE BIRDCAGE, not to confuse that TOO WONG FOO came first. The plot is quickly unraveled as Vida Boheme and Noxeema Jackson (Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes, respectively) tie for first place in a drag queen contest, their prize being a trip to Hollywood. Naturally the two are thrilled, but the more sympathetic one, Vida, takes pity on Chi Chi (John Leguizamo), an amateuristic drag queen who's feeling quite a bit of self pity, and invites him along.
TO WONG FOO doesn't take long to get to the goods, but it's somewhat boring getting there so you still might feel anxious. The fun takes off when the three "queens" end up stuck in the incredibly small town of Snydersville with a broken down Chevy. They're forced to stay the weekend, and obviously become a conspicuous group of flamboyantly dressed "women". Vida, Noxeema, and Chi Chi end up teaching the women of the town how to be more independant, and the men of the town how to be more gentlemanly. While the culture clash becomes a close-knit family, the sherrif of a nearby town is on a hunt for these "perverts". Apparantly he's not too happy about the embarrasing situation he was left in after pulling them over with more-carnal-than-legal intentions.
Patrick Swayze is defintely the one who stands out in this film. While his character may not be overly wonderful or impacting, he still put a lot into it and does a fabulous job, as subtle as it may come off. TO WONG FOO is pretty predictable even if it is predictable in a more wild-than-usual way. Still, it's enjoyable and is worth seeing on video. While I only give it * * 1/2, it's a hearty * * 1/2!
November 22, 1997
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