From its original conception, this film must have started as a riot. The premise of having three macho actors take on the roles of drag queens to put together a very funny and insightful comedy of the sexes must have appeared as an impossible task. In the end, the film works because of its tight screenplay and its well defined characters. Swayze, Leguizamo, and Snipes hold nothing back, making each character real and multi dimensional. There are elements of farce, hilarity, outrageousness, and some very daring moves from its three leads. With the help of a strong supporting cast that includes Stockard Channing, as a battered woman, the film moves along quite nicely.

It's a fantasy with a firm hold in reality. The leads portray three human beings that must confront what society deals them, and in the film, they manage to make some of their dreams come true. Unlike other movies dealing with special types of love, such as "Beautiful Thing" and "Big Eden" where the ending perfectly matches the rest of the fantasy, this one faces reality and offers an interesting type of compromise. It's bittersweet, expertly interweaving both the possible and impossible.

Leguizamo shines as the very caliente latina persona who lives dangerously and tries to fit in, in her own special way. Swayze is the classy one, who is not allowed to forget her true nature. Wesley Snipes' role borders on caricature, but he keeps it from crossing the line between farcical and ridiculous. They all do very good work with this very risqué and difficult material. It works out.

When we went to the theater to see this, we had no idea how good it was going to be. More than just a "drag queen movie", it shows how the three drag queens in question are able to help the people in this small town. I will say that of the three cast members, Patrick Swayze looks the most like he can play a drag queen - but don't get me wrong, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo also do a great job.

Anyway, this just might be the perfect kind of movie dealing with this topic. Many people have likened "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" to "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", but I wish to assert that "TWFTFEJN" was actually better in that it showed how they help the people in this small town. Just great. Also starring Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, Chris Penn, Melinda Dillon, Beth Grant, Alice Drummond, Robin Williams in a small role, and of course Julie Newmar (I'd never even heard of her before this).

Noxeema (Wesley Snipes),Vida (Patrick Swayze),and Chi-Chi (John Leguizamo) are three drag queens traveling cross country in an old Cadillac convertible. Only car trouble brings them to remote small town Snydersville.

At the time, it followed "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" as a nice happy 'realistic' look at gay people. Watching it now, it all seems like shallow stereotypes. That's including the townspeople. None of it is funny. The wacky mannerism just adds to its fakeness. There is nothing special in this other than seeing a bunch of guys playing drag as if it's something special.