Happy, Texas

Play trailer

Happy, Texas

PG-13

1999

1h 44m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

54 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).

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Emanuel Levy

Variety

01/29/2007

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.

Go to Full Review

Philip Kemp

Sight & Sound

12/02/2002

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...

Go to Full Review

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

11/06/2002

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.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

05/12/2024

2.5/4

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

Go to Full Review

Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

09/03/2021

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

Go to Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/10/2020

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

s r

@ScottR 09/12/2022

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.

See more

jonathan r

@RT51507420 11/02/2021

Love this movie. Very funny with endearing characters

See more

03/06/2021

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

See more

steve d

@RT35616104 07/04/2020

It wasn't fun or funny.

See more

04/13/2020

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

See more

08/13/2018

This movie is hilarious!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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

View From the Top

13%

34%

View From the Top

Watchlist

In & Out

74%

52%

In & Out

Watchlist

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

49%

72%

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

Watchlist

TRAILER

for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

All the Queen's Men

7%

51%

All the Queen's Men

Watchlist

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry

15%

69%

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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