Two ex-prisoners escape the chain gang and take off in a broken down van. Meanwhile, in the sleepy town of Happy in Texas, the main event of the year is about to arrive: Little Miss Squeezed Pageant. The town people anticipate this event with great excitement. Unbeknownst to the organizers, the two who show up in the pageant van are none other than Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr (Steve Zahn), the two cons on the run. With the Rangers on their tail and a tempting city bank vault, the two attempt to put on the show...

According to co-screenwriter Ed Stone, the city of Happy does exist and there is a beauty contest.

Mark Illsley

"What started out as a true comedy, little by little, became more and more dramatic. In the end, it was the humor that lead the story we had hoped to tell. The personal relations are the real backbone of the movie and the comedy just developed naturally."

Mark Illsley, Co-writer, Director, Producer

A native of California, Mark Illsley did his film studies at the University of Southern California. Illsley then worked in collaboration with school friend Kevin Reynolds on several films as assistant director or second unit director: Fandango (1985), The Beast of War (1988), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Rapa Nui (1994). Happy, Texas is his first feature film.