Accidental Texan
Accidental Texan is a 2023 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Lambert Bristol. It is based on the novel Chocolate Lizards by Cole Thompson and stars Thomas Haden Church, Rudy Pankow, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Bruce Dern.
Plot: Harvard grad Erwin loses his first acting job for leaving his phone on and flees to Texas. With no money to fix his car, he works for local oil driller Merle. When Merle’s project is failing, Erwin is pulled in as an oil expert to help save it.
Production: Filming began in Austin, Texas, on October 13, 2021, and also took place in Bartlett, Texas.
Release: The movie premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 29, 2023. Roadside Attractions released it in the United States on March 8, 2024.
Reception: Accidental Texan earned $292,687 at the box office. On Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of 24 critics gave it a positive review (average 5.3/10). Metacritic gave it 51 out of 100, based on 4 reviews, signaling mixed or average responses. Variety’s Joe Leydon described it as an unapologetically old-fashioned, feel-good dramedy that could fit as a 1970s family-friendly film with a few tweaks.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:45 (CET).