{"id":1633,"date":"2011-12-02T15:30:17","date_gmt":"2011-12-02T15:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=1633"},"modified":"2011-12-02T15:30:18","modified_gmt":"2011-12-02T15:30:18","slug":"the-big-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/the-big-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The Big Year ***"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A comedy about bird watching \u2013\u00a0or \u2018birding\u2019, as it\u2019s officially known \u2013 is such a random concept that it must surely be one of great mockery of the pastime. But Marley & Me<\/a><\/em> and The Devil Wears Prada<\/a><\/em> director David Frankel<\/a>\u2019s The Big Year<\/em><\/a> manages to give it a little eccentric charm and grounded purpose, while relying on household comedy old-timers Owen Wilson<\/a>, Jack Black<\/a> and Steve Martin<\/a> to add the feel-good factor.<\/p>\n

Based on a non-fiction book by Mark Obmascik<\/a>, the story follows Brad Harris (Black), a mummy\u2019s boy and IT worker who is obsessed with birds of the ornithological kind. His dream is to take a year out and spot as many bird types as possible to win the coveted, annual Big Year, an informal competition dominated by the world\u2019s best birder, Kenny Bostick (Wilson) who finds all kinds of devious ways to put others off the scent of the whereabouts of the feathered friends. Stu Preissler (Martin), a successful captain of industry, wants to retire completely from the corporate game and concentrate on a shot at the title. Through their avid love of birds, the three begin on an adventure that will change their circumstances forever.<\/p>\n

At the heart of Frankel\u2019s comedy beats an unbridled passion of sorts, with a quirky insight into the sacrifices made to stay at the top of the game that will resonate with all that watch it. It\u2019s also a coming-of-age story for all three men entering different stages of their lives. Wilson, Black and Martin are as affable as ever, if too congenial to the point of being rather innoxious for some \u2013 even with Bostick\u2019s scheming. However, they still making up an entertaining trio, with the latter two no strangers to playing oddball comedic characters and taking birders in their confident strides. At the same time, a strange, quietening respect for their characters\u2019 choice of pastime grows, especially as it offers a chance to travel and see and learn a bit about nature \u2013\u00a0a candid reminder for some workaholic viewers of life outside the office\u2019s four walls.<\/p>\n

This release or escapism, coupled with the film\u2019s joie de vivre is warmly infectious, and also masks Frankel\u2019s and screenwriter Howard Franklin<\/a>\u2019s mere surface-level look at what really drives such a person to do such an all-consuming and committed task. Admittedly, without the personal life dilemmas \u2013\u00a0Harris\u2019s strained relationship with his father, Bostick\u2019s crumbling marriage, and Preissler\u2019s desire to leave the corporate rat race, Frankel\u2019s film would become a totally pointless one, bordering on offensive farce.<\/p>\n

These sub-plots may detract from the birding path of the primary goal \u2013\u00a0to see the next Big Year winner crowned \u2013\u00a0but they also act to keep the characters grounded and more believable as they struggle to juggle things back home. In fact, all three actors could have played over-the-top caricatures, but Frankel keeps the humour following through the tragic fallout of their actions, which in turn endears them to us more.<\/p>\n

The only incredulous part of the whole affair is how no one cheats, especially as just recognising a birdcall equates to having spotted it \u2013 Harris being the master of this, but this and the rules are not fully explained. In a nice little bit of extra fluff to add to Frankel\u2019s romanticising of the pastime, Harris\u2019s calls attract a new human mate. Naturally, Ellie (Rashida Jones<\/a>) is totally out of his league under normal circumstances, if it wasn\u2019t for her unusual hobby. Still, as groan-worthy as this might sound, it\u2019s always undeniably cute to watch the underdog get the girl, and live to tell the tale at the end. And just to add some fun British eccentricity to the mix is John Cleese<\/a> as the historical montage narrator.<\/p>\n

The Big Year<\/em> is as mild a comedy as one gets with personable characters, so as to normalise the birder and allow us to empathise with their calling \u2013\u00a0as well as attract the family audience. Its draw is not only the fascination of how such a subject matter transpires to be funny without becoming idiotic, but also the appealing combination of Wilson, Black and Martin, who play it safe and sound in this. Perhaps, in a whole different premise, Frankel and co might have taken a bolder step into the darkly comedic look of the birder\u2019s psyche and added more of a gust of air into this film\u2019s feathers to allow it to soar above its cautious comedic charms.<\/p>\n

3\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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