The Big Bounce Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)January 30th, 2004
THE BIG BOUNCE
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When Jack Ryan (Owen Wilson, "Shanghai Knights") whacks bigoted construction foreman Lou Harris (Vinnie Jones, "Swordfish") on the head with a baseball bat, he draws the amused attention of District Judge Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman, "Bruce Almighty"), who takes the petty criminal under his wing. It seems Crewes also dislikes real estate developer Ray Ritchie (Gary Sinise, "The Human Stain"), who builds new resorts despite the protests of native Hawaiians. When Ritchie's mistress, Nancy Hayes (newcomer Sara Foster), draws Jack's eye, Walter warns him that she's nothing but trouble, but trouble is Jack's middle name in the second adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel, "The Big Bounce."
What drew the aforementioned cast in addition to Charlie Sheen, Bebe Neuwirth, Willie Nelson and Harry Dean Stanton to a second try at "The Big Bounce?" Some fun in the Hawaiian sun is the only explanation. Owen Wilson has the amazing ability to charm his way out of the most dreadful material, and Freeman is capable of the same as long as he's coasting in comedy, but aside from watching these guys relax and have fun, there is little else to recommend "The Big Bounce."
After a stint in the pokie, Jack decides to stick around, even after Ray's right hand man, Bob Jr. (Charlie Sheen, "Scary Movie 3") tries to scare him off. With a handyman gig and accommodations at Walter's dozen bungalow sideline, Jack picks up some extra bucks robbing a boxful of wallets at a party. His driver Frank (Gregory Sporleder, "S.W.A.T."), who owes $1500 to the wrong crowd, becomes another liability on Jack's list. Nancy flirts with Jack and attempts to draw him into a plot to rob Ray of $200,000. Perfectly laid plans are upended when Nancy's sway over Bob Jr. proves weaker than that of his big-haired wife and the arrival of Mrs. Alison Ritchie (Bebe Neuwirth, "Le Divorce") becomes yet another obstacle to hurdle in the path to Ray's safe.
This Elmore Leonard story adapted by Sebastian Gutierrez ("Gothika") is full of double crosses and double double crosses, but it is so inconsequential that none of them surprise or matter. The film's funniest line is a throwaway joke tossed off by Crewes crony Bob Rogers, Sr. (Harry Dean Stanton, "Anger Management") during a domino game that goes by so quickly it is easy to miss ('A skeleton walks into a bar and says 'Gimme a pitcher of beer and a mop.') and its funniest bit involves a conversation on a stolen cell phone that does nothing to advance the plot. The movie is sprinkled with non sequiturs, such as a boxing match between Nancy and Jack that is suddenly a condition of a bet whose conditions had already been agreed upon.
Of the supporting cast, only Charlie Sheen makes any impact largely due to his readiness to poke fun at himself. Newcomer Foster is attractive but her performance is bland and the talented Neuwirth cannot do much more with the alcoholic Alison that display a knack for physical slapstick. The mugs of Willie Nelson and Harry Dean are welcome in roles that are little more than cameos, but former soccer star Jones is becoming tiring in his thug niche.
Director George Armitage's ("Grosse Point Blank") direction is lackluster. The film limps along, tiring at less than ninety minutes. Cinematographer Jeffrey L. Kimball ("Paycheck") gets plenty of eye popping scenery, including bikinied babes, but frequently his shots are so fuzzy it looks like his lens was covered with sea spray. Composer George S. Clinton ("The Santa Clause 2") takes the easy route with typical island sounds.
"The Big Bounce" is sure to do exactly that as soon as it lands in theaters.
C-
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