Three from Texas

The plot can also be read as a thinly veiled allusion to 42-year-old director and writer Jim Robinson's life in the film industry in Los Angeles, and his longing to work in San Antonio, where he owns a home. Born in South Texas, and a graduate of Trinity University, he was able to do some shorts, documentaries and European TV work while based in San Antonio, but hadn't made his big breakthrough.

"I was hitting a real dry spell, and my wife got pregnant, and I was like, 'we've gotta go and give it a try in L.A., or I'm going to find myself at age 50 teaching a continuing education course on film appreciation.' "

But the Hollywood hustle started taking its toll. "I had gotten to the point from doing films that were part of my heart -- which is the way I started out -- to the point where I found myself trying to write scripts I thought would sell," he notes. "And one day I said to myself, you know what, I wouldn't even go see this movie. I don't go see these kinds of movies, but I'm writing this because some manager said, 'I think I've got some money in Indonesia for an action film' or whatever....

"I'm like, what am I doing? What happened to Mr. Art Guy, Mr. Filmmaker? I really saw that city harden me and make me cynical. So I think the germ of the story started with this woman who's about to lose herself, or give up on herself, which is kind of where I thought I was. Fletcher is this guy I was supposed to be. I would look back at Texas longingly. I yearned for that simple kind of character like Fletcher is. He's creative because it's part of his fiber."

His independently funded $3 million movie has been picked up by October Films for large-scale national release, and Robinson is hoping his gentle movie finds an audience. "You can do magic with care and good writing and the right casting and good acting," he says. "You don't need tens of millions of dollars."

Of course, it helps to have Texas's magic working in your favor. And with indies such as these three -- along with major studio productions set in the state (The Newton Boys, the upcoming Hope Floats) -- Texas in the movies continues to be as big in size and spirit as the state is in real life.