Honky Tonk Freeway

Honky Tonk Freeway is an early 80s satirical comedy, directed by John Schlesinger and starring David Rasche, Paul Jabara, and Howard Hesseman. Released in 1981, the movie is an artistic blend of comedy and social commentary that spotlights a small town's dream and the lengths they are willing to go for it.

Set in the heart of Florida, the small fictional town of Ticlaw is the centerpoint of this engaging comedy. Despite its diminutive size, Ticlaw boasts an extravagant feature - a gargantuan safari wildlife park. However, the townsfolk have a common concern - there's not much tourist attention thanks to the newly constructed freeway which, unfortunately, does not have an exit leading to Ticlaw.

The town's magnetic and entrepreneurial mayor, played by William Devane, undertakes a quest to garner more attention for Ticlaw and its safari park attraction, ideally by securing a freeway exit. Rasche plays Duane Hansen, a fresh-faced and naïve police officer who also doubles as the safari wildlife park's veterinarian and is committed to supporting the mayor's cause.

On another note, Paul Jabara and Howard Hesseman play a pair of eccentric bank robbers who, after robbing a bank in Ticlaw, find themselves entangled in the town's hilarious, convoluted plot to attract the authorities' attention. The movie combines several storylines, following a diverse cast of characters each with their unique quirky antics, from a man traveling cross-country with a rhinoceros, a family struggling to tote their granny's house on a truck, to a woman who parades in a trailer filled with soda bottles.

As the movie progresses, the spectator comes into contact with an array of fascinating and incredibly entertaining characters, each of which contributes to the movie's comic atmosphere. The comedy is slightly dark yet heartwarming, reflecting a town's desperate measures for survival and growth in an ever-changing world. The narrative pattern leads to strange situations that maintain a hilarity that never fades away. The cast's performance, particularly by Devane, Hesseman, and Rasche, adds to the comedy, notably highlighting the spirit of resilience and uniqueness of the small-town community.

In terms of technicalities, John Schlesinger handles direction expertly, shaping and presenting the story in a manner that keeps the viewer entertained throughout. He interlaces seemingly separate story threads seamlessly into a whole. The screenplay by Edward Clinton is a masterpiece of absurd and eccentric humor, managing to portray each of the subplots uniquely while maintaining the overarching storyline.

From a production standpoint, the film offers fantastic cinematography, impeccable settings, and design consistent to the early 80s aesthetics, and a wonderful sound-score reflecting the film's overall tone. The end result is a visually impressive film that captures your attention from the beginning to the end. At times absurd, but always hilarious, Honky Tonk Freeway is a comedy that entertains as much as it critiques.

Though it may seem like a standard comedy at first glance, Honky Tonk Freeway is a theatrical commentary on the condition of small-town America, the clash of dreaming big versus the challenges of reality, and the determination of the human spirit to survive against all odds. The movie uses humor to explore the dichotomies of the human condition, making for an enjoyable cinematic ride that is sure to leave you in stiches.

Honky Tonk Freeway, though not universally known or appreciated, offers an underappreciated comedic treat. It is a fantastic example of the unique humor emerging from the late 70s and early 80s. If you're up for a fair share of laughter and can appreciate the unique quirks of a small Florida town battling odds in their own hilarious way, then Honky Tonk Freeway may just be a hidden gem waiting for you to explore.