|
The Big Year
| Released |
2 December 2011 |
| Director |
David Frankel |
Starring
|
Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Rosamund Pike, Anjelica Huston |
| Writer(s) |
Howard Franklin |
Producer(s)
|
Stuart Cornfeld, Carol Fenelon, Curtis Hanson, Karen Rosenfelt, Ben Stiller |
| Origin |
United States |
| Running Time |
100 minutes |
| Genre |
Comedy |
| Rating |
PG |
|
|
Not a retweet.
There's always an air of caution when three supposed comedy kings come together to make a movie. There are a lot of egos and each member of the group is intent on ensuring that they have an equal, if not more significant, portion of the jokes. Sometimes this will create an almost seamless, antagonistic-style on-screen relationship that reflects the amount of laughs the movie creates. Then again, there are other times when it simply doesn't.
The Big Year is unfortunately one of those occasions. It is important not to be overly harsh about this film because, in general, it is an okay comedy flick that will pass the time some afternoon – probably around the Christmas holidays. But will you be splitting your sides with the pain of uncontrollable laughter? That would be a solid no.
With veteran Steve Martin alongside the ultimate hit-and-miss duo of comedic cinema in Jack Black and Owen Wilson, there was always the likelihood it could go either way. The trio star as competitive bird-watchers who attempt to break the record for the most sightings of different bird species in one single year.
The varying roles of each lead character should ensure for a varying array of unique and awkward situations – Black as the divorced nerd who is back living with his parents, Martin as the top CEO and Wilson as the suave current world record holder for, ehm, “birding”. Yet, it doesn't and despite the take-off into stunning, picturesque and panoramic views throughout North America, the overall feeling of the film is a little flat.
Some comedy movies sacrifice a meaningful storyline for the extra gag or twenty. The Big Year, on the other hand, actually doesn't boast enough funny moments and relies too heavily on a flurry of life's little lessons. Not the worst film ever but just not that memorable.
-
David Caulfield |
