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I'm truly torn on this one. For a turn-your-brain-off comedy it sort of works. But I have a hard time turning my brain off when such serious issues are implicated, and handled badly. Wife-beating solved by having someone else beat up the husband and toss him out? Small town folks so dumb? Homosexuals as the usual ridiculous freaks? Women learning how to be women from men? I found it all a tad icky, even in the midst of the celebratory atmosphere. I want to think the lead trio was trying to be nervy, but instead I'm left feeling like they were doing the equivalent of black-face, with all their flailing about coming off like "yes massa." The storyline with ChiChi and the local young man is also a bit creepy- reinforcing the myth that gay men are trying to seduce straight men. When similar situations are handled differently, as in The Crying Game and even Priscilla, it is a completely different issue, here it just doesn't work. Snipes is painfully miscast. He is simply too muscle-bound, and then poorly made-up, to be at all convincing. And as others have pointed out, having them exist eternally in full-costume is just silly and unrealistic. And, frankly, a bit stupid- no drag queen I know would set off on a road trip in full drag through parts unknown without fearing for her safety. On the flip side, the movie insults anyone who lives in a small town. Men are dirty, wife-beating, potential rapists. Women are doltish, ignorant, and helpless. Middle America has its issues, but this reinforces a different set of stereotypes for a different audience. The over-all message of acceptance should, however, be commended. I just wish they could have done it a little bit better. I suppose it was trying to be a cartoon, but it creeps me out a little when the cartoon serves to reinforce old stereotypes about all involved.

I think Patrick Swayze was incredible in this movie. For a male actor to make you believe he really is a female in mind and body is a large undertaking and he did this for the entire length of the movie. I was entertained from beginning to end, and I also saw Priscilla and liked this just as much. Robin Williams has a little cameo at the beginning that is hilarious, and Stockard Channing does a great job as a small town abused wife. Great movie to watch on a weekend afternoon when you just want to escape and laugh!

Noxeema (Wesley Snipes), Vida (Patrick Swayze), and Chi-Chi (John Leguizamo) are three drag queens traveling cross country in an old Cadillac convertible. Only car trouble brings them to remote small town Snydersville. At the time, it followed "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" as a nice happy 'realistic' look at gay people. Watching it now, it all seems like shallow stereotypes. That's including the townspeople. None of it is funny. The wacky mannerism just adds to its fakeness. There is nothing special in this other than seeing a bunch of guys playing drag as if it's something special.

What's worse than a movie starring Patrick Swayze? A movie starring Patrick Swayze as a transvestite. I didn't like "The Birdcage" too much (neither the original, nor the remake) and I hated "Tootsie". Films with men dressing up as women (or the other way round) are NOT FUNNY!!! Not to forget that it's impossible for anyone to mistake Dustin Hoffmann for a woman and even fall in love with him! But wait! I should be ranting about "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" (great title, huh?!). Not even Wesley Snipes can save this mess. It's just a complete and total let down and on top of that not very respectful towards gay people. If you want to see a nice little comedy about gay people watch "Le placard" starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu. P.S.: Okay, "Some Like It Hot" would be an exception as it is a funny movie with men dressing up as women, but that's the ONLY exception I'll make.

Oh this movie is a lot of fun. Light, frothy, sparkling, shiny fun, fun, fun. So surprising to see such macho actors turn into attractive women---although, to me, in a lot of scenes with that short haired bob wig, Patrick looked like Jack Lemmon's character in Some Like it Hot. The plot of this film is very unrealistic and the town that they land in is something more out of the 1700's than the 20th century, but it is a funny film and also teaches us about tolerance and acceptance for and to others. I laughed so many times at this movie. It is a great comedy and wonderful entertainment. I highly recommend it. Some of these reviewers here who slammed this film really don't see or get the point in reviewing this movie looking for deeper meanings and criticisms all over the place. It is a light, funny comedy. It delivers and it is wonderful.

This movie was funny in spots, had a nice, happy ending, and starred some of my favorite people, including Michael Vartan, John Leguizamo, Beth Grant, Blythe Danner, etc. I especially liked the "awakening" of the small town engineered by the "Fairy Godmothers" (I always like stories where someone builds something or makes something work--it's a surefire way to make me like a movie). But for a story about drag queens unleashed in Middle America, this is about as un-outrageous as you can get. It says something about the wide variety of people in the USA that some people think this movie is "wild and crazy." These three "champion" drag queens aren't portrayed as having even a hint of sexuality. Even their drag personas onstage don't seem to have anything going on downstairs. Patrick Swayze seems to be playing Pat Nixon instead of a flamboyant star. The widespread acceptance they experience in the small town and the sunny ending are pure fairy tale--it's a shame they couldn't find any real fairies to star in it.

This movie demonstrates how hilarious the life of a drag queen can be especially if your as serious as these characters. I know many people who are drag queens and haters go hate something else. They have a passion just like you and me and it happens to be DRAG. If you have some stickler on who these people are, get over it because they love what they do! This movie is cute, funny, and has some FIERCE outfits. I found the humor in this movie very truthful and sincere. Classic gay movie and makes you wanna get up and cheer for these people. I love how Chi Chi isn't a drag queen but a drag Princess. don't let anyone tell you this is a bad movie because it's is the complete opposite. You tell her Noxeema!

This movie about three drag queens, two of whom win a trip to Hollywood, is kind of the ultimate road picture. But the three male stars look better in drag than Bing and Bob ever did. I've seen it a couple of times, and never fail to wonder at the transformation of Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo into...well, drag queens. One of the best shots in this movie is at the beginning, when Wesley Snipes' character is walking AWAY from the camera. I wish *I* looked that good. I suppose there was a kind of freedom in making this movie, for them, because they were not playing a character that looks like them in *real life*. I started out watching because if the novelty, ended up being invested in the characters and liking the movie. And Blythe Danner is always good, in anything she does.