Boy, being a lineman is one hell of a tough job. Besides having to take care of his beloved nice Bailey (adorable Kate Bosworth) after both her parents are killed in tragic accidents, rough'n'tumble veteran lineman and foreman Beau Ginner (John Travolta chewing up the scenery and totally mangling a Southern accent like some kind of crazed rabid dog) also has to put up with Bailey's boyfriend and lineman newbie Duncan (a sullen Devon Sawa), severely traumatized Gulf War veteran Eugene (an even more sullen Ryan Robbins), pushy superiors who want Beau to fix a faulty power grid super fast, and a brutal impending storm which threatens to knock out all the power in the county that Beau works in.
Director David Hackl treats the deliciously cheesy melodramatic story with jaw-dropping earnestness while the overstuffed script goes way overboard with the corny soap opera-style subplots, thereby proving a wondrous wealth of unintentionally hilarious camp that's a true gut-busting marvel to behold. Toss in broadly drawn blue collar redneck characters who seem more like caricatures (one guy is even named Pok' Chop!), poor Sharon Stone in a thankless nothing role as Duncan's bitter and drunken mother who isn't even given a name, and a choice cruddy medley of ridiculous country songs extolling the virtues of those great unsung heroes who dare to tow the line playing over the ending credits for extra delectably dippy kitsch value. An absolute hoot and a half!
Director David Hackl treats the deliciously cheesy melodramatic story with jaw-dropping earnestness while the overstuffed script goes way overboard with the corny soap opera-style subplots, thereby proving a wondrous wealth of unintentionally hilarious camp that's a true gut-busting marvel to behold. Toss in broadly drawn blue collar redneck characters who seem more like caricatures (one guy is even named Pok' Chop!), poor Sharon Stone in a thankless nothing role as Duncan's bitter and drunken mother who isn't even given a name, and a choice cruddy medley of ridiculous country songs extolling the virtues of those great unsung heroes who dare to tow the line playing over the ending credits for extra delectably dippy kitsch value. An absolute hoot and a half!