Happy, Texas

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Happy, Texas

PG-13

1999

1h 44m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When bank robbers Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne (Steve Zahn) escape from prison and stumble into the tiny Texas Panhandle town of Happy, they're mistaken for the gay couple who were scheduled to help plan the town's child beauty pageant. As the criminals take advantage of the misapprehension to lie low while planning their next heist, complications include the local sheriff (William H. Macy) and his attraction to Harry, and Wayne's feelings for schoolteacher Ms. Schaefer (Illeana Douglas).

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Critics Consensus

A smart, light-hearted romantic comedy, Happy, Texas uses its well-written script and exceptional cast to prove there's still life left in the fish-out-of-water caper genre.

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Jan 29, 2007

B-

Steve Zahn shines in Illsley's feature debut, elevating this eccentric small-town comedy two notches above the level of writing. Using the fish out of water format, this Sundance premiere begins well but then declines rapidly.

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Philip Kemp

Sight & Sound

Dec 2, 2002

4/5

...although it reverts to slapstick for its set-piece chase finale, for most of its length Mark Illsley's debut film offers an unexpectedly gentle, even sentimental comedy of sexual identities...

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Nov 6, 2002

4/5

A charming fish-out-of-water romantic comedy, the modestly budgeted Happy, Texas more than makes up in heart what it lacks in splash.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

May 12, 2024

2.5/4

...a larger-than-life premise that’s employed to watchable yet decidedly forgettable effect...

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Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

Sep 3, 2021

"Happy, Texas" is a fresh, frisky and very funny feel-good comedy that delights in upending expectations by avoiding cheap shots and demeaning caricatures.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 10, 2020

3.5/4.0

It is a film I love, a film I watch regularly, and a film that makes me laugh each and every time.

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Jason R

@J-Rush1411 Jun 25, 2026

A fun film about two escaped convicts who are then forced into playing along as a couple while falling for women

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s r

@ScottR Sep 12, 2022

A good premise, but other than Zahn there wasn't much here and even that was a struggle. I only saw it because of my sister. It was on Vudu.

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jonathan r

@Houseofrosen Nov 2, 2021

Love this movie. Very funny with endearing characters

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Mar 6, 2021

Saw it on TV by accident years ago! Loved it ever since

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steve d

@RT35616104 Jul 4, 2020

It wasn't fun or funny.

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Apr 13, 2020

The late 90s has some of my favorite movies . Sometimes I miss this movies before all of the cgi and special effects . The stories just seem to be better back then when times were just simpler . Not a laugh out loud comedy so don’t expect that . 3.6

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Mark Illsley

Director

Jeremy Northam

Harry Sawyer

Steve Zahn

Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr.

William H. Macy

Sheriff Chappy Dent

Ally Walker

Josephine "Joe" McClintock

Illeana Douglas

Doreen Schaefer

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Synopsis

When bank robbers Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne (Steve Zahn) escape from prison and stumble into the tiny Texas Panhandle town of Happy, they're mistaken for the gay couple who were scheduled to help plan the town's child beauty pageant. As the criminals take advantage of the misapprehension to lie low while planning their next heist, complications include the local sheriff (William H. Macy) and his attraction to Harry, and Wayne's feelings for schoolteacher Ms. Schaefer (Illeana Douglas).

Director: Mark Illsley
Producer: Mark Illsley, Rick Montgomery, Ed Stone
Screenwriter: Ed Stone, Mark Illsley, Phil Reeves
Production Co: Miramax, Marked Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.9M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround

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