The Trouble with Dee Dee

Foul-mouthed Dee Dee Rutherford (Lisa Ann Walter, Life's Work, The Next Best Thing, The Parent Trap) is a 42 year old free spirit who's spent her entire life doing whatever she wants to do, much to the dismay of her wealthy father (Kurtwood Smith, That '70s Show). So daddy gives her one final ultimatum: either straighten up, or he'll cut her off. Needless to say, Dee Dee, her son (Mason Gamble, Dennis the Menace) and Yugo "the help" (the ubiquitous J.P. Manoux) soon find themselves living on the street. Will Dee Dee ever get back into her father's good graces, or will she spend the rest of her life at the homeless shelter where she was once an investor?

The irrepressible, usually golden-haired Walter is often stuck playing small supporting roles, but she proves here that she can carry an entire film. Though Dee Dee has some technical flaws, the running time seems short and the tone shifts from brash comedy to touching drama and back again, Walter and the rest of the cast manage to make it work well. First released at festivals (under the simpler title Dee Dee Rutherford) in 2005, it finally got released on DVD in December of last year... too bad it's full-frame and there's no extras whatsoever. Still, it's a likable movie and worth seeking out, if for no other reason than for Walter and Smith's stellar performances!