The tabloid fodder and poor film choices aside, it's still pretty clear why Billy Bob Thornton is considered a quirky actor of genuine merit. Here he heads up a strong cast of low-keyed eccentrics, and he's the best thing in the picture--a bona fide movie star for perhaps the first time. Director/co-writer Stephen Gyllenhaal is an odd filmmaker: the subjects he's drawn to and the crazy spin he puts on the situations can be fascinating, even while he takes his time mounting his story. "Homegrown", about three not-too-bright marijuana growers who try taking over their boss' business affairs after the guy is murdered, is a rather thin black comedy helped by a frazzled, funny last-act. For the first hour, however, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot happening, even though the actors hold interest. It's sadly too disconnected and too minor to make the grade. ** from ****
Review of Homegrown
