Mummy An' the Armadillo (2004)

The greatest movie ever made..!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Blistering performances.

Word of mouth led me astray. I was pretty much let down. There were a few good moments, but not enough for me to really enjoy this dramatic slice of awkward darkness. Sarah(Clare Kramer)pulls off of old Route 66 on a stormy night. There in the middle of nowhere she is able to spot the rundown mainly non-functioning Armadillo Cafe. Behind the counter she meets Billie(Lori Heuring), recognizably the brightest of a dysfunctional family. There is Mother Let(Betty Buckley)and the mentally challenged Wyatte(Brad Renfro); plus the paranoid and bit militant Jesse(Johnathon Schaech). The roadside diner is full of novelties like a sentimental stuffed armadillo and mummified man believed to be a member of this weird family. The storm is heavy and noisy as Sarah seeks out answers to her past as well as an understanding of the secrets and lies that probably cover up murders among the family. The young traveler gets wrapped up in the turmoil and boiling emotions; but actually finds herself back on her way down the highway.Also in the cast are Jodi Lynne O'Keefe, Busy Philipps and Wade Williams. Some of the worst movies turn out actually good; some just stay bad.

You can count the number of shots on one hand of this overlong trapped in one room with actors who either under or overact with an equal measure of indifference. The writing is dull and they can do nothing with it.Betty Buckley comes off the best as she has stage experience to put life into lifeless material like this, but another reason she comes off well is that she has the smallest part.This is really a dull small scale play shot in a way that is totally unimaginative. The plot's big twist was obvious to me from the start and the Armadillo story has little or nothing to do with what's going on. The story is loaded with back story none of which the film can afford to shoot but you also get the impression it never occurred to them to even try. The blocking of the actors is crappy and this would possibly be an even duller play than it is a film.Half baked Sam Shepard play is what this really is. Features a bad "retard" character that is probably the worst thing about it, but the worst thing is how boring it all is. J.S. Cardone does nothing to make this feel like a film. Being trapped in one room is no excuse for directing something this boringly. You can only call this a thriller if you consider a character being tied up in a chair for most of the time a thrill. Watching this film feels like a really terrible week on a soap opera. No edge, no convincing characters or situations, do not press play on this dud.

Mummy and the Armadillo was a film that took a while to get going. Claire Kramer basically held the first half hour together on her own - a character far from her Bring it on Days and once she had Brad Renfro & Betty Buckley to play against, (they come in about a half hour into it) the film really came to life. They're performances were memorable and worthy of their namesakes. Armadillo is a dark, suspenseful thriller that keeps your attention - I understand that it was based off of a play from years ago and it comes off as such. Again the performances that keep it glued together are the actors mentioned above. The film drives to a finally that has a strong payoff with a great twist. It leaves you thinking - looking back to possible red hearings that may have been there along the way. For a picture shot completely in one place, (sans exterior establishing shots and a quick scene in a car) it holds together well and they certainly got their monies worth. It was an enjoyable film.

I had the chance to see this film at the Houston Film Festival. It took me for quite a ride which is what I love about it. It had me right from the opening credits. Johnathon Schaech has some incredibly eerie scenes and one-liners that will stick in my head for quite some time. The cast put in tremendous performances and I found it fascinating to see Clare Kramer in such a serious role that I wasn't used to seeing her in. She did a great job with it. The story is quite twisted and will surely have a cult following. As it unfolds, it gets more and more disturbing until it all comes together at the end with nice shocking twist. The top-notch production value, incredible acting and very twisted story make this a fantastic ride in my book and well worth seeing.