Hey folks, El Cosmico here again, taking a breather to get a word in edgewise before we put up some new fun stuff for you tomorrow...
Now, AICN has had a good number of articles about The Big Kahuna...here they are from oldest to most recent...
First, Plucky took a look at it during the Toronto film festival, then Sheriff Buck chimed in from the same fest...then we had a bunch of our folks look at it during South By Southwest here in our beloved hometown of Austin...Loony Toon had some things to say, The Cattle King of Arizona shared his beef, and then our buddy Capone let us know how he felt. So, you've got a few perspectives to check out on this one. Go check 'em out.
Now, I share my opinion, I figured this flick could use a few words today, since it opens this weekend.
The Big Kahuna is based on a play, "Hospitality Suite" by screenwriter Roger Rueff. It's an adaptation of a stage play to the screen, and it looks like one. Now, some of our reviewers found this awkward, because well, it's something you don't see a lot of. Me, I loved it. I mean, in my opinion, stage plays are first and foremost about acting skill. They're much more personal, and well, they look and feel different than films. They're just a completely different beast. I didn't find the adaptation to screen awkward, I actually thought it was one of the best adaptations of a stage play to screen that I've ever seen. Why? Because The Big Kahuna isn't trying to be a typical feature film, it's an intimate filmed viewing of a really well done stage play. As long as you understand that, it shouldn't throw you for a loop. This is a film for people who love actors and acting.
I found watching The Big Kahuna to be a joyful experience. Mind you, the subject matter isn't joyful at all, it's rather depressing. The reason I enjoyed it so much is because each of the actors involved is just so damn good in their role. Of course, they have to be to pull this film off. Now, everyone loves Kevin Spacey these days, but here's a look at him taking on an extremely challenging and complex character, and making him real to the audience in a profound way.
You see, this film is about three salesmen who are dealing with their lot in...normal life. They're people who are in various stages of the sometimes shitty state of their plain, boring, tedious lives. Spacey performs the most cynical of the three main characters, Larry. He constantly criticizes the others, and deals the harshest view of reality to the other two. Basically, Larry thinks that he's figured it all out, and what he's figured out is that life is a mean, raw deal, in which you should expect the worst and simply do what you have to. Peter Facinelli turns in a fine performance as Bob, a Christian who takes an opposingly optimistic view of the world, and is accordingly attacked by Spacey. The third character of Phil is the finest performance of the film, played with amazing humanity by Danny DeVito. In fact, I've got to say that this is one of DeVito's finest performances. Just incredible. His character of Phil, of course, has the difficult task of portraying the center between the jaded cynicism of Spacey and the sometimes naive optimism of Facinelli. By the end, his character is exhausted by the conflict, and makes an extraordinarily touching monologue to that effect. Phil is the self-examining character in the film. Initially, he doesn't want to be, but he's backed into a corner by the other two, and finally has to find and express his synthesis of their conflict.
No fancy camera work, no special effects, and the sets are boring and drab. Just like real life. Like I said before, this is a film about acting. Maybe some people will see that as a lack of directorial or cinematographic talent, but I see it as a group of filmmakers who had the sense to get out of the way and let the play perform itself. That's just my take on it.
Anyway, what I loved so much about this film is that I think everyone who sees it will identify with at least one of the main three characters, because, after all, most of us live or have lived normal, drab lives that we don't or didn't want to live. No matter which you initially identify with, though, there will be some kind of meaningful resolution for you by the end of the film. Not a great, life-changing enlightenment, maybe, but a small bit of peace to add to your psyche.
So, there you have it. There's a real gem of a film opening this weekend, and I think you'd be a fool to miss it. So don't.
-El Cosmico
mail me at: elcosmico@austin.rr.com
