C. Jay Cox

An enjoyable light romantic film with some mildly amusing lines here and there. Reese Witherspoon is excellent as the high-powered New York clothes designer Melanie who has re-designed herself to disguise her somewhat humble beginnings in Alabama.

The characters are excellent, with several well-known actors taking main roles. The pace is good, the on-screen chemistry believable, and if the 'country hick' emphasis in the Alabama scenes is exaggerated, it didn't worry us; it helped the contrast show more between Amanda's two lifestyles as she struggles to work out where her heart is.

Definitely recommended if you like this genre.

Longer review here: https://suesdvdreviews.blogspot.com/2022/06/sweet-home-alabama-reese-witherspoon... show less

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (actor), Wes Ramsey (actor) and C. Jay Cox (director)

Christian (Wes Ramsey of the washboard abs) is a waiter, party boy, and first-class man magnet. Elder Aaron Davis (Steve Sandvoss of the goofy grin) is a straight-laced Mormon missionary. When he and three elders, including the uptight Ryder (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mysterious Skin), move into Christian's Hollywood apartment complex, it's clear something's got to give. Christian tries to make his new neighbors feel show more welcome, but they're put off by his flamboyance--the short-shorts, the rainbow flag in his yard, etc. When Christian's trash-talking pals at Lila's restaurant, including the cynical Traci (Amber Benson, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), bet that he can't seduce one of these clean-cut young men, he takes them up on it and sets his sights on cute, soft-spoken Aaron. As a pretense, he asks to learn more about his Church, but where they really connect is over their love of old movies, everything from Psycho to Tommy. When Aaron accuses him of being shallow, however, Christian starts to wonder if the bet wasn't such a good idea--plus he's starting to fall for the guy. Turns out the closeted Aaron feels the same way about him, but when his roommates find out, he's shipped back to Pocatello where he faces excommunication. Written and directed by C. Jay Cox (Sweet Home Alabama), a former Mormon missionary, Latter Days features Mary Kay Place as Aaron's disapproving mother and Jacqueline Bisset as the acerbic, yet supportive Lila. --Kathleen C. Fennessy show less

Romance