The Big Year

2011 "Everyone is searching for something."
6.2| 1h42m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 14 October 2011 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

Three fanatical bird-watchers spend an entire year competing to spot the highest number of species as El Nino sends an extraordinary variety of rare breeds flying up into the U.S., but they quickly discover that there are more important things than coming out on top of the competition.

Genre

Comedy

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Director

David Frankel

Production Companies

20th Century Fox

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The Big Year Audience Reviews

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.
Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
John Brooks Why this got such an average/mediocre rap is beyond me. The metascore criticisms don't even seem to apply to this film. I think it's just pseudo-intellectual snobbism, because trust me, this isn't just a 'fun ride' that's slightly underrated.It's no masterpiece, but it's all of the following indeed: it's highly original, and for such a quickly understood narrative, it doesn't linger...at all. And you've got to salute that outstanding quality from the film makers, that such an obvious narrative doesn't produce a cheesy mainstream comedy that drags on and on and on...It's funny. Well constructed. It's actually fairly insightful and though not a bird-watcher myself, is more genuine than you'd think glancing at the cast.And to add to that: it's got a worthy moral in the end, and it's pretty darn good, not to mention absolutely essential and a relief to witness in a world where only competitiveness matters and all anyone cares about anymore is just, the money.No I'm tellin' ya... this is a pretty good, solid throughout unit. Check it out, you'll be pleased with the result, it's quality.8/10.
thekarmicnomad This is a film about bird spotting. A three way race to see the most birds in one year.I switched this on with some trepidation, mainly because of the cast. I was expecting lots of zany antics and was sure at some point Jack Black would jump out of a pond with a plastic duck on his head. This did not happen.The film is gentle, restrained and articulate.The story is very plain, don't expect any action or any belly laughs. This restraint works well against the backdrop of bird watching. The writers go to lengths not to poke fun at the "Birders" which was quite refreshing.The main themes look around motivation of people with obsessive hobbies and their relationships with those outside their hobby.This isn't going to make it in to my DVD collection but I do recommend it for a watch. Don't expect too much and you won't be let down.
shebacat I rented this movie for my husband and I looking for a pretty good comedy given the main actors who were in it. What we got was a great little film! The acting was really good - Jack Black gives one of his best performances in this film, Steve Martin plays the great "dad/family man" part he has done in several good movies and Owen Wilson gives a great performance as the "villain", but the characterizations are not one dimensional. They are really well developed throughout the film. The big surprise is that the movie is not played for humor, it is humorous because real life can just be funny. Don't get me wrong, the movie is quite funny, just not the slapstick funny we had expected given the actors in the film. What we got instead was a surprisingly charming movie about 3 guys who set out to break the record for the most birds sighted in a year - thus the Big year. The lengths they go to see the birds often result in humorous events, but it's the beauty of the scenery, the heartfelt moments, the real human experiences that makes this film what it is.
Yuri (yuri01-1) This was a an unexpected surprise. Steve Martin has been very quiet for some time, while Jack Black is better known for low brow comedy. They both out did themselves in this.Do you do what's right or do what is expected of you, even when it's something that other people would regard as only a hobby? The cast members each take their own course in life for better or for worse.However, once the decision is made, they follow through (in most cases). You, as the audience member, is left to consider whether you would have done the same. File this one under "Life Lesson Movies" without being preachy.