It's sexy, offbeat fun for the most part, but it's way too laid-back for its own good and, in the end, obstinately refuses to be anything more than the sum of its highly promising parts.
The Big Bounce (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:130
Fresh:21
Rotten:109
Average Rating:4/10
Consensus: An inert movie with few laughs, The Big Bounce is a big waste of talent.
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Based on the Elmore Leonard novel that inspired both the 1969 film and this remake, THE BIG BOUNCE is a comic film noir about an everyman who finds trouble in the form of a beautiful blonde. Jack... Based on the Elmore Leonard novel that inspired both the 1969 film and this remake, THE BIG BOUNCE is a comic film noir about an everyman who finds trouble in the form of a beautiful blonde. Jack Ryan (Owen Wilson) is a small-time scam artist who is determined to leave that life behind after yet another run-in with the law. But when he meets the mistress of his former boss, Ray Ritchie (Gary Sinese), all bets are off. Nancy (newcomer Sara Foster) is hot, mischievous, and up to no good, but Jack is too smitten to use his better judgment. It isn't long before he's agreed to help her steal $200,000 from Ray. Along the way, he must contend with a series of potentially shady characters, who might not be what they seem (Morgan Freeman, Charlie Sheen, and Bebe Neuwirth). Directed with an easygoing approach that fits perfectly with the laid back Hawaiian locales, THE BIG BOUNCE gets an enormous boost from Owen Wilson, who appears to be having the time of his life. This might have something to do with his costar Foster, a former model whose mere presence is enough to make the screen sizzle. The movie also features hilarious supporting turns from Freeman, Neuwirth, and especially Sheen. [More]
Starring: Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Sinise, Vinnie Jones
Starring: Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Sinise, Vinnie Jones, Charlie Sheen, Sara Foster, Bebe Neuwirth, Harry Dean Stanton, Willie Nelson, Andrew Wilson
Director: George Armitage
Director: George Armitage
Screenwriter: Sebastian Gutierrez
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for The Big Bounce
Not a bad film, despite what you may have heard, but there is no doubt it should have been a lot better.
With gorgeous Hawaiian cinematography, a charming Owen Wilson, and a clever script, I found it eminently enjoyable.
Yet another screen adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel, but this one just doesn't work.
...a dead zone of monstrous proportions that warrants nothing but yawns and groans for all 89 minutes it takes up the screen.
Despite some inspired casting and a photogenic Hawaiian backdrop, director George Armitage can't imbue the tale with Leonard's unique balance of wit and tension.
It tends to be bouncy in that flippant, rhythmic attitude, the winkingly self-assuredness so prevalent in the actual assuredness of Get Shorty.
glides along on the humor of its characters and the inherent intrigue created whenever multiple characters with multiple agendas all appear to be going after the same thing
When the best thing you can say about a movie is that a handful of actors manage to salvage it from time to time, you're not exactly talking about a great piece of filmmaking.
Latest News for The Big Bounce
July 13, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Dupree" Misfires; "Little Man" Is Short On Laughs
This week at the movies, we've got some unwanted houseguests, in the guise of a guy with a bad case of arrested development ("You, Me and Dupree," starring Owen... More...
September 01, 2005:
Lane, Jane, and Rourke on Tap for Weinstein's "Killshot"
Diane Lane, Thomas Jane, and Mickey Rourke have been tapped by the Weinstein brothers to star in "Killshot," which is an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel, says... More...
May 06, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: "The Dukes of Hazzard"
Still a little bit uncertain about this new "Dukes of Hazzard" movie? Well then head on over to Yahoo! Movies and give the all-new trailer a peek. You might love it or... More...
September 17, 2002:
Even though the name Jack Ryan is a familiar one to most filmgoers, clear from your head of the hero you had met in The Hunt for Red October and Clear & Present Danger. ![]()
More...
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