If you've seen the trailer for The Big Year, you've basically seen the movie. As the preview suggests, the new family comedy hinges on a limited supply of cheesy jokes and a stellar cast—Owen Wilson! Jack Black! Steve Martin!—that couldn't be any less stellar.

The film, loosely based on a true story, centers on three "birders" in a competition to see or hear the most species in the United States in a single calendar year—a Big Year. But really it's about the birders and their individual lives, which is unfortunate, because the bird-watching concept and the birds themselves are fascinating, while the birders are not. In spite of being played by three talented actors, the characters hold no appeal, with no depth and no humor. And director David Frankel falls far short of previous efforts like The Devil Wears Prada and Marley and Me.

Jack Black as Brad Harris

Jack Black as Brad Harris

Black plays Brad Harris, a divorced loser who lives with his aging parents—an underused Brian Dennehy and Dianne Wiest—but here, Black finds no opportunities to shine. His character, a mostly serious type, remains totally flat throughout the entire picture. Having already confirmed his inability to handle a dramatic turn, Black never gets a chance to employ his comedic smarts, which involve an excess of energy and absurdity, the very thing that's made him so watchable in the past.

Martin and Wilson do no better. When Martin halfheartedly delivers the trite, clunky lines of Stu Preissler, a retired CEO with an uncanny love for birds, an honest question comes to mind: What is a comical genius like Martin doing making these kinds of films? The veteran actor continues to spend the latter years of his career taking part in substandard family fare as if he couldn't find any other work—he could. It's a shame that younger viewers will remember Martin by a character like Stu Preissler instead of, say, Navin R. Johnson of The Jerk, Neal Page of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, or C. D. Bales in Roxanne.

Steve Martin as Stu Preissler

Steve Martin as Stu Preissler

Of all the performances, Wilson's is the most disappointing. Martin and Black aren't given much to work with, but Wilson's Kenny Bostick could have been a funny, whimsical character. Bostick, who dresses colorfully throughout the film, establishes himself as a strange and egotistical competitor who will stop at nothing to protect his status as the best birder in the world. He's almost ridiculous. But Wilson never brings the man to life or gives him the idiosyncratic persona he really needs. Simply going through the motions, he settles for a bland, lifeless character who draws no laughs or sympathy from the audience.

Three stars in the movie, but 1.5 in the review

Three stars in the movie, but 1.5 in the review

However shoddy the acting may be—including small parts played by Anjelica Huston, Rashida Jones and Andrew Wilson—the film's real failure to invoke any laughter or pertinence ultimately comes from the hackneyed script. Written by Howard Franklin, who's never written anything of significance, the screenplay provides neither an in-depth look at birding and a Big Year nor the birders themselves, who on paper appear to be relatively interesting people. Instead, it provides a mixed bag of sporadic one-liners that mostly—because of their cheesiness—bomb, except for a few from the trailer, of course.

Even more, the film attempts to use its backdrop as a sort of metaphor for life—the tagline on the poster even says, "Everyone is searching for something"—and the approach almost works. In fact, for its many missteps, The Big Year is surprisingly more insightful you might imagine. But insightful about what? By the time the credits roll, though we know what it's not about, we don't really know what it is about either. There's no clarity in what the movie might be saying about work, family, friends, love, or birds, and it's certainly trying to say something.

Three stars in the movie, but 1.5 in the review

Three stars in the movie, but 1.5 in the review

Visually, Frankel surprisingly captures America like the big, beautiful place that it is. The birders' journey across a vast number of states allows him to highlight the diverse landscapes—from the snowy tundra of Alaska, to the rock formations of Yosemite National Park in California, to the smelly land fields of Brownsville, Texas—and the array of birds that populate them. Still, despite the stunning scenery, there's little humanity to embody it.

The Big Year truly falls flat. Like one of the characters states halfway through his experience, "I should have never done it," this film should have never been made.

Talk About It

Discussion starters
  1. The fact that Brad is divorced because of his love for birds is meant to be humorous. Does this take marriage and success lightly? When is it appropriate to use humor in serious circumstances?
  2. Despite his birding success, is Bostick really happy? How can we truly be happy? What is the difference between happiness and joy?
  3. This could be a film about following your dreams. If so, how does that theme relate to each character? Are they all following their dreams? What are their true motivations?

The Family Corner

For parents to consider

The Big Year is rated PG for language and some sensuality. In a few heated moments, the characters use mild profanity. Bostick's wife is shown in suggestive attire in a bedroom scene, where the couple talks about sex.

The Big Year
Our Rating
1½ Stars - Weak
Average Rating
 
(3 user ratings)ADD YOURSHelp
Mpaa Rating
PG (for language and some sensuality)
Genre
Directed By
David Frankel
Run Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Cast
Owen Wilson, Jack Black, Steve Martin
Theatre Release
October 14, 2011 by 20th Century Fox
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