9.22.2016

Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? - Review

R | 1h 35min | Comedy
Review - Matt Mungle

*In select theaters September 16th 2016 *

SynopsisLife in this idyllic Texas town is turned upside-down when a gun incident involving Jenna’s son spurs her to rethink their obsessive gun culture. Jenna ignites a movement by convincing the women to withhold sex until every gun in town is vanquished. A wild and hilarious showdown ensues between the sexes. 

Review: The gun debate is always a hot topic and never have folks gotten as heated as seen in the new lighthearted comedy, IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET. Despite the long title the film is not short on laughs. Regardless of which side of the debate you support it is fun to set that all aside for some small town Texas humor.

Jenna (Andrea Anders) wasn't sure what would happen when she decided to withhold sex from her husband (Matt Passmore) until he got rid of all the guns in the house. But soon all the townsmen feel the pressure as their wives take up the cause. It becomes a no holds barred match of will and strength as the men try and keep their right to bear arms sacred and upheld. Can family values win out over the concept of liberty? It is gonna be a hard fought battle for sure. 

If you are looking for a serious anti (or pro for that matter) gun piece then this is not the film for you. Both sides are allowed to plead their case but it is clear that the film makers are trying to show how very silly gun owners can be. Viewers up north might think this is a fairy tale and no one could be that serious about owning a weapon. But in the south the film comes across more as a horror film. Men will be waking up in a cold sweat fearful it could happen to them. 

Is the film sexist? Maybe. But that is what makes it so fun. In one seen a preteen boy asks his father, "is sex that important to a man?" The reply to which is a serious, "Yes, it is." The women are portrayed as the weaker, stay home and clean the house while the men make a living, variety. What will really make the feminists cringe is that the women in the film are ok with that. They like that role. They just want to make their homes and towns safe and are using the most powerful weapon at their disposal to do it. 

The gun lobbyists are the ones that look the most ridiculous. As news spreads about this small Texas town the big guns are brought in to help stop it. But they are no match for women on a mission. Even the plan to bus in some "professional women" to help ease the men's suffering is easily thwarted. 

The cast is wonderful and Anders has the perfect balance of small town sweetness and southern backbone. You want her to win just to see her smile. The supporting cast are all great at comedic timing and never shy away from the ludicrous moments. They own the roles and dialogue which is so important in a film of this nature. It makes the humor easier to laugh at. Horatio Sanz, John Michael Higgins, Max Lloyd-Jones, and Fernanda Romero are so fun to watch. Rounding out this troupe are equally crafted David Denman, Cloris Leachman, and Lauren Bowles. 

IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET is rated R for sexual content and language. For the right audience this is a truly sweet, touching, and outright hilarious movie. The couples may fight but in the end they all want the same thing. Marriage is the great equalizer and love always triumphs. The right audience will be the ones ok with the strong language, sexual innuendos, and crude banter. In a movie about sex and guns you can bet the puns are a plenty. 

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