Accidental Texan

Accidental Texan (formerly titled Chocolate Lizards) is a 2023 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Lambert Bristol, and starring Thomas Haden Church, Rudy Pankow, Carrie-Anne Moss and Bruce Dern. It is based on the 1999 novel Chocolate Lizards by Cole Thompson.

The film was released in the United States by Roadside Attractions on 8 March 2024.

Premise
When Harvard grad Erwin gets kicked off the set of his first acting gig for leaving his phone on, he flees in his car only to break down deep in Texas oil country. Lacking funds to repair his car, he accepts local driller Merle's offer to work on his site. He then discovers the project is failing and Merle begs him to help by acting as an oil expert leading the project.

Cast

 * Thomas Haden Church as Merle
 * Rudy Pankow as Erwin Vandeveer
 * Carrie-Anne Moss as Faye
 * Bruce Dern as Scheermeyer
 * Brad Leland as Max Dugan
 * Julio Cesar Cedillo as Sheriff Nall

Production
Principal photography began in Austin, Texas on October 13, 2021, and also took place that month in Bartlett, Texas.

Release
The film premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 29, 2023.

In January 2024, it was announced that Roadside Attractions acquired North American distribution rights to the film.

Accidental Texan was released theatrically on March 8, 2024.

Reception
Joe Leydon of Variety wrote: "The next time you hear someone complain that they sure don't make them like they used to, point them in the direction of Accidental Texan, an unapologetically old-fashioned feel-good dramedy that, with a few minor tweaks, could pass as a newly rediscovered family-friendly feature from the mid-1970s".