Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Manhattan drag queens Vida Boheme and Noxeema Jackson impress regional judges in competition, securing berths in the Nationals in Los Angeles. When the two meet pathetic drag novice Chi-Chi Rodriguez — one of the losers that evening — the charmed Vida and Noxeema agree to take the hopeless youngster under their joined wing. Soon the three set off on a madcap road trip across America and struggle to make it to Los Angeles in time.
To Wong Foo is a warmhearted road comedy that benefits from the committed, charismatic performances of Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo in drag — each bringing distinct energy to their roles. The plot follows a familiar fish-out-of-water/road-trip structure, hitting expected beats of small-town transformation and acceptance without much surprise. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable for a mid-90s studio comedy. Novelty is moderate — the premise of three drag queens uplifting a repressed small town had freshness in 1995, though the film never pushes as far as it could have. The ending is feel-good and satisfying but thoroughly predictable.