Mad Cowgirl (2006)

33% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
35% of users liked it
(699 ratings)

A disturbed health inspector begins a surreal descent into madness when her marriage fails, her mental health begins to plummet, and her obsession with kung fu movies drives her to seek vengeance against the Ten Tigers from Kwangtung in director Gregory Hatanaka's experimental psychological… More A disturbed health inspector begins a surreal descent into madness when her marriage fails, her mental health begins to plummet, and her obsession with kung fu movies drives her to seek vengeance against the Ten Tigers from Kwangtung in director Gregory Hatanaka's experimental psychological thriller. Therese's (Sarah Lassez) life is falling apart; her husband has abandoned her, her affair with a sleazy televangelist has left her sexually frustrated, and her brother may have poisoned her with some particularly bad meat. Now, as Therese begins to succumb to her all-consuming nymphomania and her doctor begins to suspect that there truly is something wrong despite her outwardly healthy appearance, the delusional slaughterhouse inspector begins the rigorous training that will allow her to take on the dreaded Ten Tigers from Kwangtung in an all-out bloodbath that could claim the lives of more than a few of her recent lovers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Gregory Hatanaka
Written By: Gregory Hatanaka
Genres: Drama, Horror, Comedy, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jul 19, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Dec 5, 2006
Studio: Epoch Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Michael Esposito, Chicago Tribune
It gives screenwriter-director Gregory Hatanaka an excuse for a lot of scene jumping -- and a chance to make the case for adopting a vegan diet.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
There's a lot happening here, perhaps too much.
Nathan Lee, New York Times
Mad Cowgirl is an underground movie with little sense of grounding, and lots of a multicultural weirdness and inchoate meat metaphors.
Matt Singer, Village Voice
It's safe to say there will not be another movie this year like Mad Cowgirl. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your tolerance for copious bloodletting, hardcore pornography, and C-SPAN.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Fiercely personal and unique.
Kam Williams, EURWeb
Endlessly entertaining, though not recommended for anyone uncomfortable with soft porn, eroticized violence or graphically-depicted slaughter.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
A freaky female empowerment flick about about a revenge-minded nymphomaniac who's more of a maniac than a nympho.
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times
This indulgently puerile waste of time plows ahead with pointless mayhem masquerading as 'art.'
Gregory Weinkauf, ÜberCiné
Absurd, dirty, powerful and disturbingly hilarious.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Slick and often incomprehensible, it certainly gives you your money's worth, if blood, gore and blasphemy are what you're buying.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
This gonzo mashup of romantic comedy, political paranoia, and B-movie adulation is more confounding than thrilling.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
An orgy of red meat and confused filmmaking
Phil Hall, Film Threat
Theaters showing this should install seatbelts, because audiences are in for the ultimate wild ride.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cassandra M

This movie really stands out from all the rest that screened in San Francisco. Enough buzz to gain a special third screening! My husband and I were stunned when we saw it. It's was such a refreshing experience! It totally shakes your mind as the movie leads to more sweet… More
This movie really stands out from all the rest that screened in San Francisco. Enough buzz to gain a special third screening! My husband and I were stunned when we saw it. It's was such a refreshing experience! It totally shakes your mind as the movie leads to more sweet madness and hilarious absurdity for Therese (played with such bravery by Sarah Lassez). And, despite its novelty, it's a well-acted and, surprisingly, dramatically-driven movie, too! When we thought it was all over, the last part of the movie totally pays off! Whether it's a statement of our current socio-political culture or our fascination of all things entertainment, it's just riveting. A food for thought, perhaps? One thing for sure, this movie totally rocks!
Patrick D

Strange, confusing, disturbing. But you gotta hand it to the director, he creating a low budget but very watchable film. Oh, and what's needed in films these days: originality. It's low budget, but understandably so, as it is something you won't see out of… More
Strange, confusing, disturbing. But you gotta hand it to the director, he creating a low budget but very watchable film. Oh, and what's needed in films these days: originality. It's low budget, but understandably so, as it is something you won't see out of "Hollywood", which is why we should have actual independent films. Anyway, it's done with competence and although I was confused and disturbed, I still enjoyed and appreciated it.
Christopher B

Experimental film with a good lead performance. It's weird, which is usually a good thing in my books, but it never really seems to go anywhere. Worth a look if you like this kind of thing, it's never boring.