Crazy in Alabama

The events which unfold during the summer of 1965 prove to be a turning point in the life of 13-year-old Peejoe (Lucas Black). His simple existence is turned upside down by his Aunt Lucille (Melanie Griffith), who calmly confesses to the murder of her abusive husband then hops into her car and heads for Hollywood, determined to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Peejoe and his brother are sent to stay with uncle Dove (David Morse), a funeral director in the small town where the boys first truly experience the division between the white and black communities. The tension caused by this situation erupts when Peejoe witnesses the racist Sheriff Doggett (Meat Loaf Aday) cause the death of a young black boy during a protest over racial segregation at the local pool. The theme of madness constantly surfaces in the narrative, with the more bizarre aspects of Lucille’s adventure juxtaposed against the irrationality of the segregation laws operating in the town at the time. The plot reaches a climax when these two types of madness collide, forcing the town to confront the darker side of human nature and examine the true meaning of insanity. “Crazy in Alabama” is the directorial debut of actor Antonio Banderas, most recognised for his appearances in the early films of Pedro Almodovar, and his more recent work in Hollywood.