Hot Take: Big Stone Gap

Hot Take: As bad as it gets. One of the worst of the year. If you take the long way home, let’s hope it doesn’t take you through Big Stone Gap.

Big Stone Gap is a harmless romantic comedy but without the romance and the humor. About the only thing more ridiculous than it’s lack of romance and humor are the character’s names. From Spec Broadwater to Ave Maria Mulligan to Fleeta Mullins to Iva Lou Wade to Jack MacChesney to Sweet Sue Tinsley to Pearl Grimes, the names are as absurd and simple as the film.

First, you are supposed to believe no one has ever pursued Ashley Judd. I was more convinced in the beginning of She’s All That when I was supposed to buy Rachel Leigh Cook as a homely high school outcast. And while it captures the atmosphere of the small town where writer/director/novelist Adriana Trigiani grew up, the story and plot development is utterly predictable and goes absolutely nowhere.

“Spoiler Free” Pros

• You Can Leave Whenever You Want
  You won’t miss anything of substance.

“Spoiler Free” Cons

• Ashley Judd’s Kentucky Shirt
  Think about how ridiculous Judd’s character wearing a Kentucky shirt in the small Virginia town she spent her whole life in and that is Big Stone Gap in a nutshell.
• Someone Explain the Funeral Scene To Me
  Why can’t Ave Maria cry when her mom dies?
• Who Thought Ripping Off An Old SNL Skit And Making It Somewhat Dramatic Was A Good Idea?
  (OK… minor spoiler…) Elizabeth Taylor visits Big Stone Gap and chokes on a chicken wing.