As you can tell from the title, “Big Easy Queens” (Advocate Originals), now streaming on Hulu, is set in New Orleans, specifically in the French Quarter, known to be an exciting, but dangerous, place. “Big Easy Queens” drives home the point by opening with the murders of a trio of men.
The first man is gunned down by a woman wearing a machine-gun bustier (I kid you not). The second man has his drink poisoned in a bar, causing him to vomit his intestines. The third man is strangled with a feather boa, interwoven with barbed wire. All of this takes place while Minnie (live-singing drag legend Miss Bouvèé), a nightclub diva and the “toughest broad” in gangland, performs the first of a handful of musical numbers.
In her dressing room following the show, Minnie is looked after by Giuseppe (Alexander Zenoz), her faithful assistant of 15 years. Even though she’s the one who put out the hit on the three men, all of whom were the henchmen of her arch nemesis Poodles (Jennifer McClain), she is still unnerved. It appears that she has been receiving threatening messages delivered with a bouquet of gardenias. Minnie and Giuseppe’s confidential moment is interrupted by a knock on the door.
It’s none other than her former paramour Jackson (Matthew Darren). Presently married to Minnie’s sister, Mimi (Benjamin Shaevitz aka Suzie Toot), Jackson abandoned Minnie when she was with child. But they still maintain an intimate relationship. Jackson has come to borrow money for his failing construction company.
Meanwhile, Mimi, also desperate to help Jackson, meets with Poodles. In exchange for a sum of money, with strings attached, Mimi agrees to reconcile with Minnie, and go to work at her club so that she can spy on her for Poodles, opening the door for Poodles’ act of revenge.
However, a series of events, including Jackson being killed by a hit-and-run driver right in front of Mimi, as well as ongoing attacks on Minnie’s life by a masked man, change the course of the action. Mimi also proves herself to be one of Minnie’s star employees. Suddenly, the estranged sisters are besties. Minnie even invites Mimi to move in with her.
Before you can say lagniappe, there is a sequence of revelations. The unmasked attacker turns out to be Jackson, who isn’t dead after all. No one is the loyal friend they were thought to be. Not Earlene (Varla Jean Merman), who works at Minnie’s club. Not Poodles’ sidekick Amos (Jeffery Roberson). Not even the devoted Giuseppe.
Movies don’t get much lower budget than “Big Easy Queens,” but that doesn't mean it’s not entertaining. The musical numbers, most of which are performed by Miss Bouvèé, are clever but forgettable. The costumes are eye-catching, the gore is over-the-top, and Robert Leleux’s script practically oozes with campy cinematic references (“Showgirls,” “Mommie Dearest,” and so on). Director Erynn Dalton makes the most of her hammy cast, and at 77 minutes, it’s not a complete waste of time.
Rating: C+
