The Badge Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
A small town sheriff. A big city murderer.
A sheriff (Thornton) begins an investigation into the death of a local transsexual after hearing that high ranking politicians may have been involved. Although he is homophobic, his investigation causes him to be rejected by others, forcing him to seek help from the people he once despised.
| Billy Bob Thornton | Sheriff Darl Hardwick |
| William Devane | The Judge |
| Marcus Lyle Brown | Deputy Jackson |
| Ray McKinnon | Deputy C.B. |
| Tom Bower | Bull Hardwick |
| John McConnell | Ornell |
| Ron Flagge | Gooch |
| Huey Alexander | Cletus |
| Mark Krasnoff | Squeegee |
| Jerry Leggio | Henry |
| Rick Dial | Doc |
| Michael Arata | Gov. Joe Breraton |
| David Dahlgren | Estill Sims |
| Michael Cahill | Lee Atwood |
| Marco St. John | Big Six Rayburn |
6.20 out of 10 (1385 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Compelling Lesson in Tolerance
posted on 27 Apr 2009Billy Bob Thornton is a small-town Louisiana sheriff (with a gay brother in New Orleans he rarely speaks to) who begins investigating the murder of a transvestite in his parish. Political pressure, in this most darkly political state, comes down on him to drop the case, but attracted to the transvestite's wife (Patricia Arquette), he finds he cannot stop.
Glad I accidentally caught this on Starz while traveling. Still haven't talked to anyone who has even heard of it, let alone seen it. But, it's excellent--good plot, generally strong acting, and a memorable lesson about learning to accept the full diversity of humanity. That's more than perhaps 75% of American films today offer.
Hey I was raised here
posted on 24 Apr 2009I watched this film the other night just b/c I was raised in LaSalle Parish.
I don't remember any of the places that they were showing in the movie though. Billy Bob had a great performance but I believe he is always good to some extent. Patricia Arquette was not in this movie enough to make a real judgement. As for the plot it was okay but I do remember coming from there and I do not remember anyone acting in the ways these people reacted.
It was too fake to me b/c I lived there and know that these events are far fetched and kind of make the Parish look bad. Well all in all the movie was okay for what it was but unless I find it for cheap I will not own this title.
Not too shabby. . .
posted on 19 Mar 2009I saw this movie last night and I really liked it. Maybe I found it more interesting because I recently moved to New Orleans and I'm familiar with the area, or because it's not like anything that has been on TV recently. However, I thought the camera work was artistic enough, and the plot combined with the corruption of the government officials, and the history of that in Louisiana (Huey Long), made the movie interesting. However, since it was on HBO, there was unnecessary nudity and scenes filmed at the strip clubs.
Sleazy Sleuthing--Cajun Style
posted on 11 Mar 2009This film is a solid bit of detective fiction with a Cajun noir flavor to it. Lots of shady characters trying to manipulate folks in order to keep sleazy secrets hidden get in the way of a sometimes earnest but morally mixed-up Louisiana sheriff.If you like Raymond Chandler's stories, this should prove pleasing. Yes, the film is paced slowly, but as the sheriff in hot water finally realizes the only way to regain his honor (and perhaps his job) is by solving the case, the action picks up. Billy Bob Thornton gives another perfect performance, and Patricia Arquette is stronger than ever. Very nice directorial touches balance storytelling and artistry very well.A good evening's entertainment.
Definitely a made for TV movie
posted on 25 Dec 2008This was your average murder mystery. You knew there would be a couple of twist and turns in the plot. And since this was on cable, they had to have some scenes take place in a strip club. BBT plays your flawed sheriff mixed up in politics trying to save his job. He gets mixed up with a girl and it changes his views on some things, like he starts talking to his brother again. The character is sort of like what he played in Monster's Ball.FINAL VERDICT: OK for a TV movie. The plot movies slowly and not that original.
worthwhile picture
posted on 16 Oct 2008Anyone who contributes to the blab that Mr Thornton's characterisation of Darl was too close to his equally excellent characterisation of Hank in Monster Ball is not really contributing, or thinking very deeply. I have said as much before and I will say again here; Mr Thornton is the very best character actor in the US today and one of the best in the world.It is no surprise to find a great actor tackling scripts that are well out of the main stream, this shows a thinking caring actor who is prepared to take risks and give more credibility to the work than to the star spin offs.This movie is not a great one, but it is a very worthwhile experience that is, at least, thought provoking and contains some very fine acting from most of it's cast. The only real problem was the writer/director combination. This is not to say that the writing or the direction was bad, on the contrary, the direction particularly was very sound and the writing was fine though a little too "formular" in its shape. It's nearly always a mistake to direct ones own work, like reading ones own poetry, it becomes very hard to let a line go in an instant, when one is aware of how long it took to birth it. The Badge is fine and has some real strengths, its weakness lies in the denouement where there is the sense of a rather obvious ball being suddenly rushed to the goal post before time runs out for the some what staged final scene.This work is worth the effort on many fronts, B.B.Thornton is excellent and that woman! what a sterling performance she gives in a very difficult role and against all kinds of odds. If you have not seen this movie and are thinking about it, then do it and do it now!
Deeply Flawed But Compelling Alternative Lifestyle Mystery
posted on 26 Sep 2008A young, petite female, obviously terrified runs through the Louisiana Bayou as though she were being pursued by an unseen assailant. An eighteen wheeler sails down the dark road. Suddenly, the young female races across the road in front of the truck. The driver skids to avoid hitting her and truck jackknifes and turns over in a ravine. Sheriff Billy Bob Thornton, bleary-eyed from a night of boozing, arrives on the scene. He and his deputy find the body of the young female laying nearby in the ravine. She's dead, but not from the truck. She has a 22 slug in her.To reveal more would ruin a compelling, well acted story of intrigue, sexual ambiguity and political cover-up. However, the only way to fairly review 'The Badge' (terrible title) is to point out some of its flaws and that requires spoilers.WARNING: SPOILERSThe medical examiner discovers that, in regards to the female victim, 'the lady is no lady'. He's a borderline transgender, that is, his breasts are feminine but he still male sex organs. Here in lies the beginnings of the movie's deepest flaw, because this shemale is legally married to Patricia Arquette. Since, at least at the time of the release of 'The Badge', same sex marriage was illegal in Louisiana, Arquette MUST be a FEMALE. Billy Bob would KNOW that, but still anguishes over his attraction to Arquette, not sure she's a woman. Shemale or not, Billy Bob's attraction to Patricia Arquette is pretty understandable, since Patricia, like her sister Roseanna, has those world class 'knockout body' genes. Most heterosexual males would be turned on by since they're looking at the 'appearance package' and not 'checking out the interior.' If Arquette's shemale husband wanted to 'go all the way' with the sex change, what's he doing with Arquette?END OF SPOILERSPerhaps the worse aspect of 'The Badge' is it's overly optimistic ending. Most of us would like troubles to be wrapped up in such neat little packages, but they virtually never are.However, 'The Badge' can be highly praised for one of its 'Playboy philosophy' truths. Organized religion to the contrary, sex is about a whole hell of a lot more than procreation. Perhaps the BEST attribute of sex is that is the most dramatic method to display intimacy and affection for another person. If this were not true, all those 'righteous, religious' married couples who cannot conceive but continue to have sex would be committing sin. Perhaps just as importantly, if sex can thus be disconnected from procreation, does it really matter what kind of sex it is? Isn't it more important that the two people care about each other and are not just using each others bodies? 'The Badge' boasts fine performances by Thornton, Arquette and Thomas Hayden Church as Billy Bob's brother. Despite it's flaws, 'The Badge' is good for a '6'. See it, whether you are open minded or not. It might just help you become so.
Gritty Crime Drama about Tolerance and Forgiveness
posted on 02 Jul 2008Patricia Arquette and Billy Bob Thorton are at their best in this gritty, quasi-noir crime drama set in Louisiana. Thorton's character is similiar to the one that he played in Monster's Ball. This role however was more sympathetic but not as complex. Arquette is good at playing characters that live on the edge but still manage to be morally strong and honest. She also has an extremely potent sex appeal that is simultaneously mature and girlish. The story is a coplex one with lots of twists and turns. There are secrets in the small town of LaSalle Parrish and they are artfully revealed by the director whose style is a little clunky but engaging nonetheless. I recommend this movie. It's message of tolerance is very important and could not have been more clearly stated.
Case Study of County Politics
posted on 28 Apr 2008This film tells a story about LaSalle Parish in Louisiana (and by extension the rest of America). Sheriff Darryl is shown handling the rigors of his job. Oddly, he carries no pistol - a symbol of lacking something? A truck overturns on a curve, and spills its load of shoes. The poor people show up to carry off their free shoes, recalling that scene in Charles Dickens "Tale of Two Cities". Then a dead body is found, and this scandal should be censored, says the political boss and judge. Sheriff Darryl is visited by an exotic dancer who reports her husband is missing (after dancing at a private club). The rest of the film tells how the murder was solved.
The language and contents of this film would have been banned prior to the 1990s. While "realistic" about the lost souls it portrays, it seems to have no redeeming social values. Yes, it gives a view to politics and personalities not usually seen in films, and which can educate the viewers. The film does not mention the corporations (like Big Oil) that dominated the politics of Louisiana, and other states. We see how the Twin-Party System meets at the top to accomplish its missions. Like in a small county, the heads of the opposing parties meet to divide the spoils. In this film the Governor loses an election. Was he too clean? So a new Administration takes office, and life goes on unchanged. There are some winners and loser, but that's the way the ball bounces. Blaming a small businessman who has a claim against the county seems too cynical.
Straight to Video for a Reason
posted on 20 Jan 2008What a mess! This movie is a phenomenal waste of talent in some ways, and a glaring expose' of the limitations of overrated actors in other ways. Not that they're helped by the muddled direction in this pretentious noir-wannabe that values mood and message much more than story.The smaller roles are obviously real local yokels, but without direction, what could have added the ring of authenticity to this Louisiana tale instead makes the whole enterprise look even more amateurish. After "The Man who Wasn't There," and "Monster's Ball," the producers really had to work hard to have a Billy Bob Thornton movie received this badly.
Attention Grabbing
posted on 12 Jan 2008I loved the start of this movie. I think that's what carried my interest through to the end. The middle and endings were not as strong but did not disappoint me.I also loved the acting, especially Billy Bob's. There's something about his demeanor and appearance that is interesting despite what role he is playing.
Transphobic NOT homophobic
posted on 24 Sep 2007One user comment though I agree with mostly was slightly inaccurate.. Homophobic mean Irrational fear of HOMOSEXUALS Whera TRANSPOBIA/IC means the same but with Transexuals etc and there are folks whom are actually BORN that way we call then Intersexed... ISNA.ORG is a good site.. BIG differences indeed.. The movie was OK .... Could have been more accurate and the Script a little more thought out.. But nonetheless we live in an ignorant/hateful world and the reaction towards people that are "different", were acted out accurately enough.. SO I say Long live Billy Bob Thornton.. May he rule all always lolAnyhows, warm Regards Crista
Mostly for fans of Billy Bob Thornton.
posted on 31 Aug 2007The movie is set and filmed in the areas I lived in for some time, and I can assure everyone that the characters depicted bear little resemblance to the people and politicians that really live there.The movie opens at night with a female figure running through some swampy land, then onto a 2-lane road where a big rig driver runs down a short embankment and deposits the trailer on its side in the muddy ditch to avoid hitting her. In daylight they find the body, while Sheriff Darl (Thornton) is supervising the distribution to the local folk of the shoes that were on the truck. After all, it is an election year. So, the movie is about trying to find the killer of this woman, 'Mona', amidst political jockeying for a casino and the governor's re-election. Moderately interesting and entertaining.SPOILERS. BIG ONES. CAREFUL. In the morgue it turns out the dead 'lady' has a penis and breasts, is in fact a trans-sexual. Her 'wife' turns up, Scarlett (Patricia Arquette) who dances in a New Orleans dive. Through much of the movie it appears that the dead 'entertainer' had been at a party with the governor, and that one of the politicians had shot and killed her, it turns out that the mildly retarded filling station operator did the shooting. He had a peephole in the wall so that he could spy on pretty girls using the toilet, and was so disgusted when he saw Mona's male equipment, he chased and shot him/her, wounded he/she was able to run a bit before collapsing and dying in the ditch near the overturned truck. Sheriff had traced a call Mona placed to Scarlett from the phone booth at the filling station, and that was the last place she had been before she died.
Don't Overlook Thomas Haden Church in This One
posted on 12 Jul 2007Thomas Haden Church has made a breakthrough playing the endearing character David. This is Mr. Church's first venture playing a gay character. Quite a stretch from the egotistical, womanizing men or sweet bafoons he usually plays. The last time I've seen him this serious was in One Night Stand as the creepy advertising boss, Don. I'm anticipating his directing debut Rolling Kansas, if he ever decides to release it limited to theaters then mass market on DVD (hopefully similar to the success off the popular anime film METROPOLIS). Thomas Haden Church has come a LONG way since the sweet, bumbling Lowell Mather and the scheming, sarcastic, cuddly jerk Ned Dorsey. All I have to say is: THOMAS HADEN CHURCH FOREVER!
Engaging but slightly problematic
posted on 07 Apr 2007I enjoyed "The Badge"; when it appeared on the shelves of the video store where I work, I was a little curious about how a film with Billy Bob Thornton and Patricia Arquette wound up on cable. But oh well. After seeing the film, I have to admit that it does fit more properly on a small screen where its flaws are minimized. Robby Henson - the writer/director - has a tendency to use stylish jump cuts, amateurish wipes (no one except George Lucas should EVER use wipes anymore), and sped-up shots that are at odds with the appealingly lackadaisical tone of his story. However, the acting is excellent, especially by Thornton; had the film been released in theaters, it wouldn't have been unrealistic for Lion's Gate to push him for an Oscar. That said, Arquette is also good - am I the only one who thinks she's an underrated actress? "The Badge" reminded me over and over of "The Big Easy" - which is most certainly a compliment - and while it's not the equal of that film, it does a fine job of standing on it's own two feet.
Highly enjoyable, solid thriller.
posted on 02 Mar 2007Disregarding what others have said about "The Badge" I went into it because I love Billy Bob and had kept track of it during filming, when the original title had been "Behind the Sun". Seeing that the film went straight to cable really didn't surprise me, espescially seeing as how this isn't really for mainstream audiences, but then again, neither was "Monster's Ball".
Anyhow, I'm rambling so let me get to the point here. "The Badge" didn't go to theaters because certain people felt that Billy Bob's character (Darl) was too similar to his character Hank in "Monster's Ball". Whatever the reason, I don't really care. At least I got to see it and I AM thankful for that. "The Badge" tells the story of a Louisiana Parish Sheriff who normally doesn't appreciate gays, but has to put aside his predjudices and personal beliefs to solve a murder of a transexual. Sound strange? Well, it is and it isn't. That depends on what kind of person you are. Personally, I found the movie to be quite accurate in showing the deep south for what it really is. The politics were espescially accurate and it was pretty brave of Robby Henson to delve into that matter as deep as he did. Obviously, this movie isn't just about politics, but the southern and small-town mentality as well. How do I know? Well, I was raised there, so I have a good understanding of how things work down there. Another thing: While some of the characters have been called "comic book" or "stereotypes", they're pretty accurate as well. Much like in Sling Blade, I felt like I knew some of these people. I also found the plot turns and acting to be very well executed. As far as that goes, no one gives a bad performance here. All that said, "The Badge" is definitely worth a look.
OK...but very slow!!
posted on 14 Feb 2007What a sleeper. I mean, until two days ago, I had never heard of this movie before. I rented it not knowing how it would turn out. Pleasantly surprised. Pretty straight forward and to the point, a homophobic local sheriff "stumbles" on a murder investigating a traffic accident. The murdered woman turns out not to be a woman at all, but a he/she. Then this movie takes off like a roller coaster, all of which I will not go into detail (go rent it). Some of the things that these lawmen do is absolutely unbelievable, but that is the fun of this one. It is not to be taken too serious.
Not BBThornton's best
posted on 19 Jan 2007They should've tried to let the public view this one in the theatres but I guess it wouldn't have made much success considering Monster's Ball totally overshadowed it. There are a lot of similarities between these 2 movies, not just the fact that BBob Thornton is in both, although he was definitely much better in the former. He pulls in a fine one in this movie, as usual but I wouldn't say it's his best role yet. I don't see Patricia Arquette too often so I don't really know how good an actress she is; in this movie, she's passable. William Devane usually plays the villains but this time, he plays a crooked judge but he doesn't really quite have that evil persona that he usually has. I kind of miss that. The other supporting cast members were rather good especially the real murderer. If you're perceptive enough, you'll probably know it's him somewhere along the movie but if not, just watch to the end. The movie might test your patience and seem like it would end in predictability but just sit it out. It's not a great movie but it's a good one.
Moral mystery.
posted on 17 Jan 2007Three issues dealt with in this movie. (1) Who murdered Mona, the transsexual? (2) Will the sheriff, Billy Bob Thornton, overcome his revulsion for queers, men who dry flowers, women who like to wear spike collars, people of either sex who lust after cold sauerkraut, and other assorted wimps and pre-verts sufficiently to come to be truly in love with Mona's wife, Scarlett (Arquette)? And (3) whatever is going to become of all these corrupt politicians? The movie is nicely shot on location in Louisiana. The direction is competent, with only a few quick shots to dizzy the viewer. And the plot has a lot of texture to it. We honestly get the feeling that everyone in the parish knows everyone else. When a truck overturns and spills its load of shoes along the side of the road, Thornton makes several phone calls to the folks to come out and get some free shoes! Thornton's performance is really quite good. His morals are no better than they should be, perhaps. He shags his deputy's wife in the back seat of her own car. He hands out spilled shoes recklessly. He cheated on the wife who now despises him and has virtually no contact with his daughter, to whom he is irrelevant. Yet he comes across as a laid back sort of Southerner, easy going but a man who will stand firm when he feels he's being given the business. Not that he's one of those super action heroes. Thornton himself is no muscle man, and a black guy in a New Orleans strip club easily subdues him. Patricia Arquette is such a cool blonde she seems positively Icelandic. And what eyes! It's impossible to put the color of her irises into words. Sela Ward is beautiful, classy, and voluptuous, and Thornton is a cretin for having cheated on her. I enjoyed William DeVane as the Southern judge too. DeVane is always reliable, and it's fun to see him as a genial and corrupt old pol, hobbling around on his walking stick. But it's Thornton who makes the movie, and he's very good.Who killed Mona? (SPOILERS) Mona was shot by a factory reject with an IQ in the negative numbers and a moral code to match. The killing was simplicity itself. Almost everything else layered on in between tells us more about the community and its politics than about the murderer. Simply put, in the beginning, Thornton finds Mona's dead body. At the end he discovers that the overweight garage owner has a hole drilled through the wall of the lady's room so he can watch what goes on. When he discovers that Mona is anatomically male he goes berserk and Thornton gets him. The end.But it brings us to issue numbers two and three. The movie draws a clear line between the "righteous" members of the community and the "oddballs" who live in New Orleans. Thornton at first is between the two but is repelled by hookers, no matter how sympathetic, amused when he finds that the victim's body has a penis. He has kicked his gay brother out of the Parish in order to be elected sheriff. By the end, it turns out that unfettered righteousness is more dangerous than open paraphilia. The reason Mona was in the Parish in the first place is that she had been brought from New Orleans to attend a stag party given by the politicians. And she was killed by a man who believes her murder was justified because "she shoulda never used the lady's room." Thornton rethinks his morality and comes to accept the oddballs for the human beings that they are.I don't mean the movie is that preachy. Nobody makes speeches about it. It simply shows us Thornton's greater tolerance, which makes it possible for him to rebond with his family and with Arquette. It's a decent flick, although people who think homosexual are sick, pre-verted, and deserving of death are unlikely to find it enjoyable in any way.
Good Movie
posted on 26 Jul 2009Very good who-dun-it movie. It was nice to see New Orleans as it was back before Katrina.