The Big White
December. 03,2005 RTo remedy his financial problems, a travel agent has his eye on a frozen corpse, which just happens to be sought after by two hitmen.
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Reviews
Good movie but grossly overrated
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Snowbound location. Pitch black comedy. A corpse that's central to the plot. The Big White was obviously influenced by Fargo, the Pulp Fiction of wintry crime comedies, but holds its own fairly well thanks to solid acting and writing. It's nothing new or incredible, but it'll get you your perversely humorous noir fix, and who can say no to Robin Williams, playing a pitiable travel agent who spies a risky way to end his financial problems. Discovering a frozen corpse, he has the brilliant idea to pass it off as his deceased brother and collect the insurance money. A few problems lie ahead: a dogged insurance investigator (Giovanni Ribisi), two moronic hit men (Tim Blake Nelson & W. Earl Brown) and the small detail that his brother isn't actually dead, and comes waltzing back into his life in the form of a rampaging, unstable Woody Harrelson. William's spitfire wife (Holly Hunter) looks on in exasperation as her husband turns their lives into disaster, while everyone is somewhat clueless and misinformed, leading to great amounts of hilarity. Sound chaotic? It is, sort of. It's also kinda laid back and deadpan enough to make the Coen brothers proud. Harrelson and Williams both bring their very different brands of manic, Williams I'm a forlorn desperate sense, and Harrelson just the unhinged wildcard. Alison Lohman is also running about, but it's been so long since I saw it I can't remember exactly who she plays. Fans of Fargo will be tickled, those with a weird sense of humour as well. Fun stuff.
From director Mark Mylod (Ali G Indahouse), I knew the lead male star and sort of the concept, so I was certainly going to try it. Set in an Alaskan town, travel agent Paul Barnell (Robin Williams) is down on his luck and in serious debt, and tries to get the life insurance for his supposedly dead brother Raymond (Woody Harrelson) who has been missing for five years, but insurer Ted Watters (Giovanni Ribisi) needs it to be seven years. Then one night, Paul comes across a dead body in a dumpster, and rather than tell the police, he takes the body for himself, and sticks it in his freezer. Then he puts all relevant ID in the body's pockets, and makes sure the face and most of the rest of the body is devoured by wolves. Obviously with Paul saying that this body is brother Raymond, he is expecting the life insurance to be paid to him, and it would come in handy for wife Margaret (Holly Hunter), suffering from Tourette's syndrome and nearing insanity. Of course, this plan isn't going to be without its problems, the body dumpers want their cut of whatever Paul gets, the real Raymond shows up wanting some of it too, and Watters is investigating the found body further. Also starring Tim Blake Nelson as Gary, Alison Lohman as Tiffany and W. Earl Brown as Jimbo. The film does feel like a Coen brothers film, there are some amusing moments, and the snowy landscapes are good viewing, but the story is a bit patchy in places. Okay!
When I watch this movie I get a sense of oddness, I think it's the music. Saying it's odd certainly doesn't make it bad, it actually is a rather well done film.It does however cry out the name COEN BROTHERS, most likely because of the setting and somewhat similar plot (keyword somewhat). You have two "for-hire goons" after a body, a body that solves (seemingly) the Robin Williams' characters money woes, which can help his troubled wife (Hunter). Also we have the wonderfully acted part by Giovanni Ribisi, who is trying to get a promotion so he can move away from this snow baron land. He's actually charming as the man who is constantly effed over.Woody Harrelson is always good, is a very strange man in this one and adds to the ending.All and all this movie warrants at least one viewing based on the roles played by Williams, Ribisi, Hunter and Harrellson.Check it.*** out of ****
Reading through some of the other comments, a common train of thought seems to be "where did this come from?". I would class myself as a regular film go-er, and pride myself with my knowledge of up and coming films. Yet, I had never even heard of this fantastic movie! It was a chance encounter in HMV that lead me to this.And, it is fantastic! Tim Blake Nelson and Earl Brown steal the show in my mind...if only every Hit-man were so inept! And, it was nice to see Robin Williams step back slightly, and tone his character down. Excellent choice! You really, really, really should watch this film, and see what so many others missed out on!