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Visitors since
April 1999.
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BIG TROUBLE
 
Starring Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Ben Foster,
Zooey Deschanel, Jason Lee, Stanley Tucci, Janeane Garofalo,
Patrick Warbuton, Tom Sizemore and Johnny Knoxville
Director Barry Sonnenfeld
Canadian Rating PG
Released by Touchstone Pictures - 04/02
“Big Trouble” is a series of colorful comic sketches in search of a movie. In its defense, the film (from “Get Shorty” director Barry Sonnenfeld) is fast-paced, and bounces off the walls with elastic glee. Unfortunately, the humor is consistently lame and the entire plot resembles leftovers that have been over-zapped in the microwave. And this cast deserves first-class fine dining and an expensive bottle of bubbly. This is more like last night’s meat loaf.
Tim Allen and Rene Russo, the film’s biggest name stars, are given top billing but have virtually nothing to do. Allen plays a former Miami Herald columnist and now a feckless entrepreneur, with a son (Ben Foster) who likes playing make-believe assassination games with water pistols. He goes over to the house of his girlfriend (Zooey Deschanel) with the intention of, well, soaking her, and is mistaken as a rival hit-man by hired killer Dennis Farina, who is there himself to kill the girl’s embezzling wiener of a father (Stanley Tucci). This somehow sparks a series of events involving the girl’s mother (Russo), two investigating cops (Janeane Garofalo and Patrick Warbuton), two dimwitted crooks (Tom Sizemore Knoxville) who disguise themselves with pantyhose, a pair of no-nonsense feds (Omar Epps and rapper Dwight “Heavy D” Meyers) and a suitcase with a nuclear weapon inside. The tale is told from the perspective of a hippie (a wasted Jason Lee) who enjoys Fritos to the extent that their heavenly flavor becomes the subject of half the scenes in the film.
"Big Trouble" is based on the writings of humorist Dave Barry, a very funny man. Sonnenfeld ensemble opus runs only 85 minutes, however, and the humor itself is sometimes non-existent, and sometimes just pitifully obvious. The meager table scraps (leftover from other, funnier movies, like Sonnenfeld’s “Shorty” and “Rat Race”) that come together to a form a script seem exponentially disappointing given the potential for something polished and fun. Unfortunately, “Big Trouble” only has faded remnants of solid comedy. Things do move at a brisk pace and a few cast members have enjoyable showings, particularly the ever-reliable Farina, who mutters and curses with the best of ‘em, and Epps and Heavy D. Others, like Stanley Tucci, are up the creek without a paddle and something worthwhile to occupy themselves with. The usually-likable Allen and fetching Ms. Russo, meanwhile, seem to have minimal screen time and are given nothing to develop their characters, or suggest they should be given top billings for this comic fiasco.
The movie was delayed after the events of 9/11 due to the nature of one extended airport sequence, which is actually quite disturbing. Airport personnel cheerfully accept bribes and allow a ticking nuclear bomb (along with other weapons) to be loaded onto a plane after being easily convinced that it’s a garbage disposal. Yay airline security! Of course, you can’t fault the filmmakers for this unfortunate timing. You can, however, fault them for spoiling what could have been a grand old time at the cinema. I laughed during “Big Trouble” -- there are some priceless scenes involving stray goats and local sports teams -- but the finished product spells trouble indeed.
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©2003, 2002 Jamey Hughton |
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