Movie Review: The Big Year

Friday, June 1, 2012
Synopsis: Three obsessive bird watchers go off on their "Big Year," duking it out to spot and record the highest number of species in 1998--the year El Nino brought an unprecedented number of species to North America. During the course of their wild, ultra competitive adventure, the guys learn that there just may be other things more important than winning.
Starring: Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Brian Dennehy, Anjelica Huston, Rashida Jones
Directed by: David Frankel
U.S. Rating: PG

How could this film not get the attention it really deserved?! I must say it has been actually one of THE best films I've watched so far this year.

First of all, I'd like to explain what a "Big Year" is. According with Wikipedia, a Big Year is an informal competition among birders to see who can see or hear the largest number of species of birds within a single calendar year and within a specific geographical area. A Big Year may be done within a single US state, a Canadian province, within the lower 48 continental U.S. states, or within the American Birding Association area (i.e. the 49 continental U.S. states (including Alaska), Canada and the French islands St. Pierre and Miquelon, plus adjacent waters to a distance of 200 miles from land or half the distance to a neighboring country, whichever is less. Excluded by these boundaries are Bermuda, the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Greenland).

So, the film is about three different stories that are combined in this particular annual event. Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) is the best birder. He's won the most recent yearly competitions and even has set some important records. He's the man to beat. He's married to his BEAUTIFUL wife Jessica (Rosamund Pike), living in a great house, and they've been working on the plans to have their first baby, even though, no matter how great his life is, his real passion and love is "birding". Brad Harris (Jack Black) works on an office while he learns and memorizes every single bird sound. That's his passion, his goal and dream, to participate in the annual birding competition, and beat the best, Kenny Bostick. The only problem is that he doesn't have the money, time off at work and especially, his family support. His dad believes he's a loser for working on these dreams and doesn't waste an opportunity to express that. And finally, we have Stu Preissler (Steve Martin). A successful business man who wants to retire, leaving the direction of his empire to the company board, while he takes his time off to go and do what he's been dreaming and preparing for years, birding.

The film brings some really funny and entertaining moments, amazing landscape views, a fresh joyful story, but most, most important, such an amazing moral message at the end of the film, when every single one of these participants learn their most important lesson in life, good and bad ones.

I really, really enjoyed the film, every single minute of it, the moral message and the excellent and hilarious performance of this amazing cast.

I would rate this movie with a 5/5


Have you watched the film? What did you like or dislike from this movie? What would you rate this movie? Share with us your thoughts!

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