Movies & More reviewer John Gillispie thinks "The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" is an interesting and shocking year-long look into the lives of the family of Jesco White of Boone County. Beginning Friday, July 30, the film will be playing at the Cinema Theater in Huntington for at least a one-week run. Call 304-525-4440 for more information.

Interesting.

That's the one word that comes to mind after watching the nearly 90-minute Tribeca Film production following the lives of the White Family of Boone County for a year.

By now, a lot of people know who Jesco White is. Some people know him thanks to a PBS documentary about his life titled "Dancing Outlaw."

"The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia," directed by Julien Nitzberg, takes a look at the rest of Jesco White's family. Jesco is still included in the film, but he is not really the main focus.

His sister, Mamie, seems to get the most screen time, but we meet many of Jesco's relatives. We also meet Boone County officials who say the Whites are often in trouble. One official questions why the filmmakers have chosen to focus on the Whites instead of a young man from West Virginia who earned a scholarship to MIT.

The point is made that not everyone in West Virginia lives the way the members of the White family do. But, will people who see this film in other states get that point?

A lot of people are not going to be able to get past the extensive foul language, brief nudity and some other behaviors in this film, which is not rated, in order to watch it. (Please leave the kids at home.) If you can get past those things, "The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" shows us some pretty dramatic moments in the lives of the White Family.

Here's some of what the film presents: Jesco and Mamie's mother passes away and the family grieves for her. A baby is born and the state takes it. One family member enters rehab to try to get her life on track. Another family member is released from being incarcerated while another is sentenced to 50 years with eligibility for parole in 25 years. Remember that all of this happens in one year. These things would be tough for any family to handle.

"The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" is a professionally made film. It's shocking and dramatic. It does leave you wondering what people in other parts of the country are going to think of the Mountain State once they've seen it.

John Gillispie is the public relations director for the Huntington Museum of Art. Contact the writer at jgillisp@hmoa.org.

Courtesy of Tribeca Film

The film "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" will be shown at the Cinema Theatre in Huntington for at least a week beginning on Friday, July 30. It focuses on the family of the ÒDancing OutlawÓ Jesco White.