Post by Nuff on Dec 4, 2011 14:55:48 GMT
There are times when my friend Hanif makes me go an watch things so utterly random that I've never even heard of them 5 minutes before I'm sitting in a cinema chain and watching the opening credits. The Big Year is one such movie, and judging by the fact not a single person was watching it bar myself and the aformentioned Hanif I'm guessing no other bugger has heard of it either.
The conecpt is possibly why. The Big Year centres around three 'birders' who are competing in a bird watching competition in which they must spot and record as many bird sightings as they can across North America in one year. Yup, only the americans could turn bird watching into a competition.
Sporting the dubious talents of Steve Martin (who hasn't been in a good movie for around 2 decades), Owen Wilson (who has NEVER been in a good movie) and the 'love him or hate him' Jack Black you';d think they'd be aiming for the laughs in this particular film but instead what you are left with is a weird curio instead.
The way the movie is written doesn't allow for any of the staged over the top laughs you'll find in american comedies such as The Hang Over or it's ilk, instead you are left with small jokes here and there that represent a more natural progression of smiles.
THe lead protagonist Brad (Jack Black) is working a full time job he hates but wishes to complete a life long dream of becoming the worlds greatest 'birder'. He is, as one would expect, Mr. Black playing a kind awkward, geeky fat guy that we've seen him do a thousand times. Least he doesn't sing. Backing him up are Stu (Steve Martin) and aging business man who retiures to compete despite his staff trying to drag him back into the game and Bostick (Owen Wilson) who is the current world champion determined not to have his record beaten even if it costs him his marriage.
Although the plot is mostly lacklust and the characters struggle to develop much at all durring the process of the movie I didn't find it dull. It was kooky and suprisiongly well paced and due to the whole weirdness that I was watching a movie like this int he first place I was a little confused as to how this ever made it past marketing and into a cinema.
Still, something inside is tellingn me I rather enjoyed this, despite itself so I'm going to give it an odd...
2/5 Nuff's
