HOMEGROWN

US, 1998, 10 minutes, Colour.
Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, Ryan Philippe, John Lithgow, Kelly Lynch, Jon Bon Jovi, Judge Reinhold, Jon Tenney, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ted Danson.
Directed by Stephen Gylenhaal.

Homegrown is a comedy with serious touches, a 1990s film (although written earlier) about marijuana crops grown illegally in Northern California, the cultivation, processing, deals with private customers, the influence of big business and the Mafia.

Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria and Ryan Philippe play three of the growers, not the smartest of growers, who work well with one another but not without some bickering. Kelly Lynch is their contact in the town, a strong-minded woman who understands the market – and who has a sexual relationship with each of the men.

When their boss, John Lithgow, is killed by his helicopter pilot, they began to panic, then decide to go into business on the run, which gives them some dangerous experiences, collecting the marijuana, going to visit potential customers, including Jon Bon Jovi, contact with the people in the town, including Jamie Lee Curtis, paying off a corrupt cop, Judge Reinhold, and eventually Billy Bob Thornton impersonating the dead businessman and business contacts for further markets and being grilled by the Mafia chief played by Ted Danson.

So, quite a considerable cast, and jokey screenplay about marijuana and its legality or not, and a number of points being made about cultivation.

Directions by Stephen Gyllenhaal and there are small parts for his children, Maggie and Jake.

1. A serious comedy? Americana, and trends, the law, business connections, sales and deals, the Mafia?

2. North Carolina, mountains and forests, the towns, marijuana crops, the huts, the clubs, customers, offices? The musical score and songs connected with marijuana?

3. The title, the crops, the sales, processing, the law, money, corrupt police?

4. Malcolm, his business, his control of the crops, introduction, his business deals, his private shooting him, the three men seeing it and fearful? His later appearance – but his twin brother, the threats, the relationship with their mother? Jack and his impersonations of Malcolm?

5. The three men, death, the panic, moderate intelligence, planning, fears, taking charge of the crops, taking the drugs, looking for customers? The walker in the woods, get him to help, the gun, his being undercover? Their reactions, fears, fleeing, getting tangled in the woods?

6. Lucy, strong personality, control and the decision-making, wary, the discussions and plans , the sexual relationship with each of them? Discovering the truth, collaboration?

7. Sienna, at the dance, the relationship with the three, the knowledge about the town, the drugs?

8. Danny, Jon Bon Jovi, customer, the meetings, discussion or the girls and the sales?

9. Other businessmen, checking their contacts, Jack and his impersonations? His skills?

10. The Mafia contacts, the Mafia chief, the meetings, the angers, his impersonation – and the result?

11. The corrupt policeman in the town, buying him off?

12. The three, coming good, the money, the drugs? The confrontation by the twin brother?

13. Tongue-in-cheek look at drugs, the perspective of the late 1990s, the touch of sardonic humour, the ending?