The Big Bounce Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)February 9th, 2004
"The Big Bounce" - Full of Air
If you thumb through the local movie listings, you'll come across a film called "The Big Bounce." At first, you might think that this is a film about a clever scam and even more clever scammers. Well, no such luck. Then, you sit down and watch the first 15 minutes, which features bountiful beaches and beautiful bikini-clad girls. Now, you might think that "The Big Bounce" is about something regularly featured in magazines like FHM and Maxim. Again, no such luck. Eventually, you struggle through its 100-minute running time and you realize with a certain amount of incredulity that you're still not sure what "The Big Bounce" is all about.
Don't be fooled by its gimmicky appearance. This film is supposed to be an offbeat criminal caper. But, it's a film that's inexcusably vapid. And that's a surprise as the material for the film is taken from the works of Elmore Leonard. His gift for storytelling has been the basis for several quirky and engaging Hollywood releases. They include films like: "Get Shorty," "Out of Sight," and "Jackie Brown." The strength of those films was anchored by oddball characters and unlikely but sweet relationships. That was always more important than the criminal activity itself.
So, the success of "The Big Bounce" will really depend on the chemistry of its two main stars. That includes Ryan (Owen Wilson) who is a petty thief that has a penchant for breaking and entering. To him, it's as if every residence has a sign on the door that says: "Come in and rob me." His counterpart is the nubile Nancy (Sara Porter) who gets a thrill out of being with guys that harbor criminal intent. There's a subtle, off-center sweetness to their union. They gallivant with a sense of playfulness as they break into homes, steal cars, and act like spoiled children.
However, we quickly grow tired of their antics. Wilson has a confection-like personality. But he seems too reserved to have leading man presence. Meanwhile, Porter is lithe and attractive, but lacks that certain allure to give her character any kind of edge. Their relationship, while cute, lacks a needed potency. Even their ploy to steal $200,000 from a crooked business owner can't keep our interest.
The star-studded supporting cast also seems to flounder. No one really looks at ease, except possibly Morgan Freeman, who plays the local lawman who may benefit from Wilson's skills. Most odd, in an uncomfortable way, is Charlie Sheen as a libido-driven bully. Gary Senise, as the unrelenting business owner, is underutilized. And, we're confused why Willie Nelson gets a bit part. These characters come across as strange rather than colorful. And this is a film that is in desperate need of colorful characters.
It's actually quite amazing at how empty this movie feels. There's never any momentum. There's never anything to latch on to. You could honestly randomly enter any other film in the multi-plex and have a better time than this.
Grade: D
S: 2 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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