The Big White: Review By Raoul Duke

A friend of mine told me about this movie the other day and insisted that we watch it. When I asked who was in it, Robin Williams was the only name he could remember, but he said it was hilarious. I assumed it to be a traditional Robin Williams comedy. An exuberant performance with mass amounts of energy. What I found was something all together different. It's Robin as I had never seen him, as well as a wonderfully rounded cast that delivers us a truly original story.

The Big White, directed by Mark Mylod, tells us the story of Paul Barnell(Robin Williams). Living in Alaska, Paul is nearly broke. His business is going under and he has creditors on his back constantly. When he tries to cash in on a life insurance policy for his missing brother, Raymond, an up and coming insurance agent Ted(Giovanni Ribisi), politely refuses cashing in his claim, stating that with out a body, he would have to wait 7 years for Raymond to be legally declared dead. Raymond has only been missing for 5. Thus, no money.

Paul, disheartened, is on the way home to his wife Margaret(Holly Hunter) who is plagued by Tourettes Syndrome and all around insanity, when he happens to find a body in a dumpster behind his Travel Agency. Taking the body home and hiding it in his beer fridge, Paul plans to pass off the unknown body as his brother Raymond. When Ted, the Insurance Agent, hears wind of Raymonds $1,000,000.00 policy being cleared, he suspects foul play and sets out to uncover the truth. The obsessive nature with which he tackles this case is borderline insanity. He sees this as his opportunity to get a transfer out of Alaska down to the "lower 48".

Meanwhile, two "mobsters" Gary(Tim Blake Nelson) and Jimbo(W. Earl Brown) return to the dumpster where they stashed their hit, only to find the body gone. They need the body so as to produce visual confirmation of their kill to their employer. Without the body, they're screwed. So they begin to hunt down whoever stole the body, and when the obituaries hit and Raymond Barnell, brother of Paul who owns a business in the lot where the body disappeared from, is first on the list, they begin to put two and two together and pay a visit to Paul, seeking to take back their kill.

Paul feels like he's in the clear. His plan couldn't possibly go wrong. All he needs is to cash his check, grab his wife and hit the road. But between Ted, the mobsters and the soon to be known fact that Raymond isn't as dead or missing as Paul thought he was, Pauls plans take a turn for the worse. All he wants to do is help his wife, but there is a lot of other interested parties all after a piece of Paul's check.

Robin Williams plays a character unlike any I have ever seen him play. He plays out the constant stress of his character perfectly, without making him seem to pessimistic. You find yourself rooting for Paul, as stupid as his plan seems. Robin brings this character to life, expressing his stress as well as his hope that everything will turn out alright amazingly. He's funny, but not in the traditional Robin Williams way. He does a great job with this role.

Holly Hunter is my favorite thing about this movie. She plays Paul's crazy wife, Margaret. One day, something inside Margaret just snapped, leaving her screaming obscenities at random moments as well as an extremely quirky behavior. She likes to vac*mn without turning the vac*mn and occasionally wear an arm brace. Holly Hunter is so funny as this nutcase. The combination of words issued from her mouth are so hilarious, and the way she delivers them, makes you instantly smile. She has the most vulgar vocabulary I have ever heard. I honestly can say I have never seen a character like this one. Hunter delivers us something unique and fresh that had me rolling from the first moment she opened her mouth. She also portrays her love for her husband wonderfully, making their relationship seem stable, even though plagued by Margaret's "condition".

Giovanni Ribisi as Ted, the insurance claims agent, is so damn funny. He plays a pale faced, obsessive character, hell bent on a promotion and uncovering Paul's scheme. Neurotic and self conscious, Ted is the definition of a tight ass. He doesn't want to let Paul get away with his plan, and puts his job, his relationships and his entire life in jeopardy trying to incriminate Paul. Ribisi was perfect for this part. His facial expressions are perfect throughout the film and his quiet and restrained tone is hilarious. Great performance.

Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown play the two mobsters out to reclaim their body. Tim Blake Nelson is hilarious. He plays the "brains" of the two while Brown plays the "muscle". Nelson is a wonderful actor and does great in a comedic role. He really draws you in as always and inspires some great laughs. W. Earl Brown, who you'll remember as Warren from There's Something About Mary, doesn't disappoint either. I had never seen this guy in anything besides Something About Mary, and it was cool to find out he is really a great actor and can handle a more demanding role than that of "Mary's retarded brother."

The direction of this film was awesome. The cinematography really captured the harshness of Alaska. The snow and bad weather provides the only constant to this ever-changing story. I haven't seen anything else from Mike Mylod, but he proved himself capable of handling a roster of great actors and directing them into producing something original.

This is a real dark comedy. The humor of this film doesn't beg for your attention and you find yourself laughing at the little things. The characters are all so individual, and all of their personalities so varied. Yet they fit together like pieces of a puzzle. This film may not have garnered rave reviews and eventually faded into obscurity, but that takes nothing away from it. This is a really funny and original film that will have you laughing from the get go.