Hard hitting expose of Kate Moss' depraved personal life? Sadly not.
This is actually a disappointing "Fargo" style black comedy set in the Alaskan wilderness that sees Williams try to pass off a dead corpse for his long lost brother (Woody Harrelson) in order to cash in on a million dollar insurance policy.
Forget the fact that the two men look nothing like each other and that his bro is still very much alive – no one will kick up a fuss surely?
Enter hotshot insurance claims adjuster Ted (Giovanni Ribisi) who, for some bizarre reason, doesn't believe Paul's stupendously gormless story.
They say:
Channel 4 Films: "Unfortunately, while Williams gives it his all alongside a cast that most independent film directors would kill for, The Big White never quite delivers."
Empire: "The script just isn’t strong enough to make us either laugh or cry, while the climax, in which all the major characters meet for a showdown, is a wasted opportunity."
Guardian: "The director here is a bright British spark, Mark Mylod, but there's nothing he can do with a script so dire. It all adds up to nothing in particular."
We say:
Skint salesmen, kidnappings, snow, odd couple killers - let's hope the Coen brothers' lawyers aren't watching.
TBW appears to be some kind of homage to "Fargo" but, despite attracting a spectacular cast, lacks the necessary humour to pull it off.
First time writer Collin Friesen tries to elicit cheap laughs by making Paul's wife (Holly Hunter) a Tourette sufferer, but hearing her calling priests "nun-fuckers" and small children "cocksuckers" borders on the tasteless.
Williams puts in a decent effort - building on his other recent straight roles in "One Hour Photo" and "Insomnia" - and Hunter does her best while being forced to shout lines like "ass rimming cocksucker".
CAST
Robin Williams, Holly Hunter, Woody Harrelson,
Giovanni Ribisi, Alison Lohman, Tim Blake Nelson
DIRECTOR
Mark Mylod
TIME
100 mins
POSTED...
Mon 27 Mar 2006 at 1:52pm
