The Big White

source: The Big White

source: The Big White

northern accents, snow, quirky characters, money, greed, deception, black humor, so obvious comparisons to fargo. There was a great cast here and on paper this is a sleeper hit but there is a reason why movies like this are not released to mainstream audiences, its because they're rubbish. As usual at IMDb a misleading score and a vast number of top block reviews from all the people who probably love any indie low budget flick going. Don't be fooled, its not an awful film but despite the likes of robin williams, giovanni ribisi, harrelson, hunter etc, the movie never gets out of first gear due to a weak script and mediocre direction.

The obvious other movie that comes to mind when watching 'The Big White' is the Coen Brothers's 'Fargo' (you know, the kidnapping/ransom of the spouse, the money, Winnipeg etc). However, it's the comedy that makes the difference. In 'Fargo' the humour is more subtle and disguised as drama while in 'The Big White' the dialogues and situations are more obviously funny and that's what gives it its own charm. Another difference is that 'Fargo' is a black comedy while this one is more of a dark comedy that's not exactly black. Mark Mylod directs a splendid ensemble cast and tells the story at an initially slow but eventually steady pace. The actors are great. Robin Williams as the down-on-his-luck travel agent trying to make some quick bucks is wonderful. Holly Hunter is hilarious as the wife suffering from fake Tourettes syndrome (more likely a form of Munchausen's syndrome). She brilliantly balances humour and pathos. Both she and Williams share a good chemistry as do Giovanni Ribisi and Allison Lohman. Ribisi naturally fits the part while Lohman has a small role but makes the best of what she has and shines. Tim Blake Nelson and Earl Brown are quite funny too and Woody Harrelson, though initially loud, manages to give a more controlled performance in the latter reel. It's a dark comedy, so the humour is obviously dark but this is a fun film and I really liked it. The songs are very nice too especially 'I Want To Protect You' by Mark Everett. The cinematography is marvelous in the beginning but slowly settles for OK as the story moves towards the end. It's a pity that the film didn't even get a proper theatrical release and remains underrated and unseen by many. I'm glad I caught it and it's definitely worth watching for those who like dark comedy. What's not to like? There's violence, romance, suspense, humour and it's a clever story.

I don't need much of a budget to write a review of a film, only a little bit of my time for watching and writing. That said, I'm confident that if I had "The Big White's" $16 Million budget, indie director's dream cast, and lame "Fargo" inspired script; I could have made a better and more entertaining film. My first move would have been to throw some of the budget into a major script re-write, maybe just sending the thing off to the Coen brothers themselves for a quick IQ transfusion. The "Fargo" rip-off comparisons are valid, but that does not mean that there is much about "The Big White" with which "Fargo" fans will connect. The similarities are pretty much confined to setting (Alaska instead of Minnesota), production design (white), and basic plot elements (two bumbling hoods, financially desperate businessman, kidnapped and bound wife), and a side story featuring an odd domestic couple (an insurance investigator instead of a female sheriff). The "Fargo" disconnects are more subtle. Instead of a crime thriller with black comedy elements, "The Big White" is a black comedy with crime thriller elements. Which would not be a problem except that "Fargo's" occasional ironic comical moments have several times more amusement value than "The Big White's" frenzied efforts to inject some humor. Secondly, on its most fundamental level "The Big White" is mean spirited. While "Fargo" parodied the great white north culture of Minnesota, the characters themselves were comfortable inhabitants of their strange white world; they had grown up there and were well suited to their environment. In "The Big White", the conflict and the character motivations stem from a desire to escape from a remote Alaskan town that seemingly has no virtues. In The Big White, a failing Alaskan travel agency owner (Robin Williams playing his Jack Dundee character from "The Best of Times"-1986) schemes to collect on his missing brother's life insurance policy by claiming that a dead body he finds in a dumpster is that of his brother. Things become complicated when two bumbling (possibly gay) hoods (Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown) kidnap his wife (Holly Hunter) because they need the body to prove that they have carried out a contract killing. Hunter's character may or may not have Tourette's Syndrome, a psychological condition which may or may not have comic potential in a feature film. But we will have to wait for a better script and a better to director to find out because the results are inconclusive here. The main side story involves an obsessive insurance investigator (Giovanni Ribisi) and his air-headed telephone psychic girlfriend (Alison Lohman). Their scenes together provide the film's best moments and the only times when it manages to duplicate "Fargo's" almost poetic humor. Ribisi is solid in all his scenes and you wish Lohman's part was bigger. If you like small off-kilter films (with big name actors having fun with their performances) you would be far better served by "Dummy" (2002) and "The Big Empty" (2003). "The Big White" tries for the feel of these two films but falls short. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

This is a black comedy. As a black, it's like the worst one ever. And as a comedy, it is nasty, boring and unfunny. What kind of movie where you wish for its end all the time? A movie full of poor plot, and obnoxious time. There are no real events after the return of the brother. Even that itself wasn't utilized well for anything. (Giovanni Ribisi)'s character lacked the motive. Why that guy was so obsessed to get the truth like this? Is that because he's bad in his love life?! So the movie's moral is be sloppy at work to be great at home?! What is this?! I didn't understand the sickness of the lead's wife? Or how Hawaii would cure her? The dialogue between (Holly Hunter) and her kidnapper, in the kitchen, concerning lying about being sick seemed philosophical in totally the wrong place, I don't know what's the need for it in the first place. And really, why the songs with the montage while the useless shots for the movie's characters getting into their cars?? That said nil, and added more bore. If I ever read on this movie's cover that it's a "Comedy", then I must screeeeeem. That could be the lousiest scheme ever! Nothing was comic about it. Not the torn corpse in the video. Not the human flesh in the refrigerator. Not breaking a dead guy's leg. Not the bloody scratches and bruises on the leads' faces. Not the hostage situation. Not a performance. Not a scene. And not even a line! I didn't figure out any meaning out of this movie's dark world. That because there isn't any. It's only about how far a lover can go for his love, however made by one dull way. As you see, it isn't a black comedy, rather a black hole. Nevertheless, it's not all empty. It has its free nastiness! (Giovanni Ribisi) can sum up this movie well. First off, he can't be an equal to (Robin Williams) as a co-lead. So forget about antagonism, hot conflict, whatever. Then he's incredibly silly, and I'm not talking about his character at all. And he looked deformed for no reason, now I'm talking about his character. I don't know why he was beaten to this extent to look the awful way he did? That was not slightly funny, or meaningful, or anything! I'm sad for (Williams)'s choices. Look at his career in that phase since the end of the 1990s: Bicentennial Man (1999), One Hour Photo (2002), Death to Smoochy (2002), The Final Cut (2004), The Big White (2005), The Night Listener (2006), RV (2006), Man of the Year (2006). They were all financial flops or about to be. Thank God that he made Insomnia (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Happy Feet (2006) in between. It's clear that for every good movie he makes 2 doomed ones. While starring some of these movies is justified, having good elements to share in them, I don't know why he, or anybody, would do something like this big nothing, sorry, this big white?! Good things? Ahhh, it's my curse to be objective in a movie like this. Well, they would be 1) a line that says: "Love is sacrifice". Yes, I know it's tacky and doesn't originally belong to this movie, but I must find something good! 2) (Holly Hunter) running around cutely. 3) The fact that this movie ends! Finally, at one of the movie's nastiest moments, (Woody Harrelson) hits (Giovanni Ribisi) in the groin, for nothing at all, or maybe because the last bugged him. So how come that this movie presents rage against bugging, while it is - itself - a lesson in pure bugging?! Enraging matter anyhow!

This movie was okay, I don't think I would recommend it unless it was on cable, definitely not pay-per-view! The story is just way too much like Fargo. Fargo is much better I might add. Robin Williams' character wasn't funny at all which was a surprise considering it is a Comedy/Crime/Drama. Maybe I was too tired when I watched it but I had trouble staying interested although I did finish it to see what happened. I was not surprised by the ending. Btw...Did anyone notice Giovanni Ribisi's character Ted had a Harry Potter like lightning bolt shaped cut on his forehead at one point in the movie?

Figured with Robin Williams and Woody Harrelson, that you'd get some good laughs, but the summary read "black comedy", they're right there. There was no comedy at all, I think the "Three Stooges" could've done better with a dead body and trying to make money. Not worth watching! Whatever with this alarm clock, I didn't see that one. The music is okay, wouldn't purchase it in a store, but I know Robin Williams has made better films than this one, this must be like a "Class B" movie, try RV, he did excellent in that one. But Dumb and Dumber had a lot of class on this movie, this one had no plot, no ending, and was quite the waste of time, only watched half, had to turn it off!!!!!!!!!!!

The Big White, is by far one of the worst black comedies I have seen. Big name actors Robin Williams and Woody Harrelson suck you into seeing the movie, only to wish you could get that hour and forty minutes of your life back. The first problem is the pacing is incredibly slow, very much like About Schmidt. Humor is spread thin like butter over too much bread, making a great movie to watch if you want to read a book at the same time. Combined with the film's pacing is the terrible soundtrack that is about enough to drive one's neurons into insanity. Lullably-like melodies really work to lull you into a near comatose state, and unfortunately the particularly sedating tracks occur during the very long and slow gaps between the few interesting parts of the movie. About the only positive aspect I can see in this movie is that the acting is fairly well done, especially by Robins, Harrleson and Ribisi. Though they play their characters very well, the writing and development surrounding these characters is trite, making it impossible for the viewer to relate and form a connection. This leads to the problem with the overall plot not making the point it was after. This movie definitely had great potential to leave you with a great lesson in humanity (enough to fill you up like a steak dinner) combined with a few needed chuckles, but instead there is so little development and purpose that instead you get a bunch of crude and trivial humor and a completely lacking feeling of resolution at the end of the movie (feels like you ate something off a fast food dollar menu). By all means, do not waste your time on this movie. Read a plot outline and find a far better piece of cinema to spend your hard earned dollars on.

In my opinion, this is the best movie of 2005. I don't know how much counts my opinion for you, but I can say i'm a fan of Coen Brothers, Kevin Smith and Tarantino. The cast is strong, including Woody Harrelson, more crazy and redneck than ever, Robin Williams, a desperate man because of incoming bankruptcy and a crazy wife, Holly Hunter his wife, suffering of Tourette Syndrome, Giovanni Ribisi, the mean insurance guy and Tim Blake Nelson, one of the two sensitive payed criminals. He also plays some of the music in the movie with his band. All of them have great performances, i don't know why this movie has such a small score. Indeed, reminded me of Coen's Fargo, there are a few resemblances. It is Alaska, and involves a kidnap Another thing that reminds me of Coens is the great great music, most of the songs played by the Eels and James. Oh, and almost forgot, another Coens moment...in the beginning, Holly Hunter's trip... Go and see it, it worths.