100 reviews
I have to agree with the ratings and a lot of reviewers on this one, it wasn't that great. When I saw the cast, with Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman, Charlie Sheen, Vinnie Jones and others, all actors that I appreciate, I was expecting a good funny movie but that wasn't really the outcome of The Big Bounce. Instead you get a weak story that doesn't really make much sense, the twists and turns are predictable and not even interesting, and comedy wise it's pretty poor as well. It's watchable but only for once then, if you have no other choice.
- deloudelouvain
- Dec 30, 2019
- Permalink
- anaconda-40658
- May 3, 2015
- Permalink
We are in Hawái , there Jack Ryan a young ex-con who gets fired from his employment ,then he takes another job as handyman and cleaner of a judge and local hotel proprietary called Sam (Morgan Freeman). Meanwhile , he is enamored by a shady and gorgeous woman named Nancy (Sara Foster), she's lover to an unscrupulous mobster called Ritchie (Gary Sinese). Nancy proposes Jack to help her with the robbery Ritchie's safe with supposedly big amount of money. He reluctantly help her , but problems ,double-crosses , risks and dangers are arising.
The film mingles intrigue , black comedy with cynical sense of humor , action , suspense and exotic landscapes including shores , islands , and beaches from Hawaii . The movie contains several ingredients for amusement and entertainment such as surf , yachts , sunny outdoors and sexy girls wearing T-shirt and bikinis . Owen Wilson as sympathetic drifter is nice and Sara Foster as sulky and seductive young is awesome . However, Morgan Freeman and Gary Sinese are miscast , but they usually play intelligent and upright roles . Other secondary actors as Charlie Sheen , Willie Nelson , Vinnie Jones , Bebe Neuwirth and Harry Dean Stanton are well. Wonderful outdoors and lush interiors are beautifully photographed by Jeffrey L. Kimball and lively and atmospheric music by George S Clinton . Screenplay by Elmo Leonard ,an old novelist and screenwriter specialist on noir plots and western and working from ¨Tall T¨,¨3:10 Yuma¨,¨Hombre¨ continuing with ¨Rosary murders¨, ¨Get shorty¨, ¨Jackie Brown¨ till nowadays . This film was previously adapted by Alex March (1969) with Ryan O'Neal and Leigh Taylor Young . Motion picture was regularly directed by George Armitage . Rating : Average but with lots of fun for the entire youth and it will appeal to noir comedy fans .
The film mingles intrigue , black comedy with cynical sense of humor , action , suspense and exotic landscapes including shores , islands , and beaches from Hawaii . The movie contains several ingredients for amusement and entertainment such as surf , yachts , sunny outdoors and sexy girls wearing T-shirt and bikinis . Owen Wilson as sympathetic drifter is nice and Sara Foster as sulky and seductive young is awesome . However, Morgan Freeman and Gary Sinese are miscast , but they usually play intelligent and upright roles . Other secondary actors as Charlie Sheen , Willie Nelson , Vinnie Jones , Bebe Neuwirth and Harry Dean Stanton are well. Wonderful outdoors and lush interiors are beautifully photographed by Jeffrey L. Kimball and lively and atmospheric music by George S Clinton . Screenplay by Elmo Leonard ,an old novelist and screenwriter specialist on noir plots and western and working from ¨Tall T¨,¨3:10 Yuma¨,¨Hombre¨ continuing with ¨Rosary murders¨, ¨Get shorty¨, ¨Jackie Brown¨ till nowadays . This film was previously adapted by Alex March (1969) with Ryan O'Neal and Leigh Taylor Young . Motion picture was regularly directed by George Armitage . Rating : Average but with lots of fun for the entire youth and it will appeal to noir comedy fans .
Jack Ryan (Owen Wilson) has a tendency for bad decisions and bad luck, including ending up on the wrong side of the law, so he's fled to Hawaii. Unfortunately, his luck is going just as badly there. He hits his boss, loses his job, and is thrown in jail. After he gets out, he sees Nancy Hayes (Sara Foster) and falls for her, even though she's the mistress of an island bigwig, Ray Ritchie (Gary Sinise), and then some. Together they hatch a scheme to rip-off Ritchie, but how many people are involved, and how?
Was it that this large, talented cast was just looking for a paid vacation in Hawaii? I've liked most of the cast's previous films--I've seen tens of them from each principal cast member, and think there have only been a few I would pan. I've liked all of the adaptations of writer Elmore Leonard's work that I've seen so far (although admittedly, I haven't seen anywhere near the majority). But The Big Bounce is just a big, boring mess. I haven't seen any of screenwriter Sebastian Guiterrez or director George Armitage's previous work, so maybe we can blame them.
The biggest problem is that nothing much happens in the film for over half of its length, and when something does happen (primarily at the very end of the film), it is so poorly constructed that it's not very clear what's going on. Most of the film is more of a realist drama about, well, nothing, where Armitage seems to have directed his cast to say all of their lines with bizarre pauses, like they're severe asthmatics, and where Guiterrez' dialogue seems to primarily consist of banalities and non-sequiturs. There were a few moderately funny bits (the break-in at the cop's house, Bob Jr. (Charlie Sheen) visiting Nancy at an awkward time), but even those weren't laugh-out-loud hilarious when they should have been, and more often than not the script's attempts at humor fell flat, as did its attempts at realistic dialogue, intrigue, and just about everything else.
The large cast is primarily wasted. The only person not cruelly underused is Owen Wilson, and Wilson seems to be at a loss with the material. There are some nice shots of scenery, even if a lot of them are composites. I also thought the soundtrack songs were okay to good.
I haven't read Leonard's book yet, but I can't imagine that it's as uneventful, dull and ultimately confusing as this film. Even if it were, surely a script could be constructed out of the material that gradually weaves the various main characters' threads in a compelling and humorous way, leading up to an exciting twist ending. But such a script isn't to be found here.
Even if you're a big fan of the cast or Leonard, The Big Bounce is only worth watching to demonstrate that talented ingredients will not necessarily produce a successful film.
Was it that this large, talented cast was just looking for a paid vacation in Hawaii? I've liked most of the cast's previous films--I've seen tens of them from each principal cast member, and think there have only been a few I would pan. I've liked all of the adaptations of writer Elmore Leonard's work that I've seen so far (although admittedly, I haven't seen anywhere near the majority). But The Big Bounce is just a big, boring mess. I haven't seen any of screenwriter Sebastian Guiterrez or director George Armitage's previous work, so maybe we can blame them.
The biggest problem is that nothing much happens in the film for over half of its length, and when something does happen (primarily at the very end of the film), it is so poorly constructed that it's not very clear what's going on. Most of the film is more of a realist drama about, well, nothing, where Armitage seems to have directed his cast to say all of their lines with bizarre pauses, like they're severe asthmatics, and where Guiterrez' dialogue seems to primarily consist of banalities and non-sequiturs. There were a few moderately funny bits (the break-in at the cop's house, Bob Jr. (Charlie Sheen) visiting Nancy at an awkward time), but even those weren't laugh-out-loud hilarious when they should have been, and more often than not the script's attempts at humor fell flat, as did its attempts at realistic dialogue, intrigue, and just about everything else.
The large cast is primarily wasted. The only person not cruelly underused is Owen Wilson, and Wilson seems to be at a loss with the material. There are some nice shots of scenery, even if a lot of them are composites. I also thought the soundtrack songs were okay to good.
I haven't read Leonard's book yet, but I can't imagine that it's as uneventful, dull and ultimately confusing as this film. Even if it were, surely a script could be constructed out of the material that gradually weaves the various main characters' threads in a compelling and humorous way, leading up to an exciting twist ending. But such a script isn't to be found here.
Even if you're a big fan of the cast or Leonard, The Big Bounce is only worth watching to demonstrate that talented ingredients will not necessarily produce a successful film.
- BrandtSponseller
- Feb 8, 2005
- Permalink
Considering the cast and the fact that it was an Elmore Leonard adaptation, I wanted to see this flick. However, it was disappointing. The film (though very small) moved at an extremely lethargic pace with hardly anything happening (except in the last 5 minutes or something). I haven't read Leonard's book so I can't comment on how fair it was to the script. There isn't much of a story as pretty much nothing happens in more than half the movie. The non-compelling ending is very badly written and we are left to figure out the plot holes. Why just the ending, the whole film is boring. The dialogues are, now I don't use this word often but, lame. A few funny moments include the breaking in the cops house, the fight between Sheen and Wilson while the girl watches.
Sadly, the cast has been wasted. Wilson and Foster have no chemistry. Being a talented actor, Wilson deserves a better movie. Poor Morgan Freeman hardly has anything to do except utter a few wise (not really) words. Sheen and Sinise have insignificant roles. Newarth springs a surprise but is hardly there. Foster is alright.
On the flip side, the cinematography gives us a wonderful tour through exotic Hawaii. It makes me want to go there and at times, I thought maybe the director and cast just happened to be there on holiday and decided to make a film. The soundtracks quite okay too. Thankfully it's a short film too so one not need to suffer too much. Even to fans of the cast and Leonard, this will be a disappointment.
Sadly, the cast has been wasted. Wilson and Foster have no chemistry. Being a talented actor, Wilson deserves a better movie. Poor Morgan Freeman hardly has anything to do except utter a few wise (not really) words. Sheen and Sinise have insignificant roles. Newarth springs a surprise but is hardly there. Foster is alright.
On the flip side, the cinematography gives us a wonderful tour through exotic Hawaii. It makes me want to go there and at times, I thought maybe the director and cast just happened to be there on holiday and decided to make a film. The soundtracks quite okay too. Thankfully it's a short film too so one not need to suffer too much. Even to fans of the cast and Leonard, this will be a disappointment.
- Chrysanthepop
- Oct 20, 2007
- Permalink
Based on an Elmore Leonard novel, Owen Wilson plays Jack Ryan, an affable surfer who gets pulled into a crime caper by Nancy (Sara Foster), the beautiful mistress of a wealthy developer in Oahu, Hawaii. Soon, he and a judge, played by Morgan Freeman, are plotting against the developer, but Jack finds that he got more than he bargained for with Nancy.
I have never read the novel so I can't compare the movie to the book but I doubt the book is this bad. If Elmore Leonard doesn't like it then it's probably a disgrace to the book. The story itself isn't very fresh or new though the film does have an impressive cast. Unfortunately, the cast did little to help this very poor film. It ended up being a big waste of time and talent. The movie is just very dull and stupid. There really isn't a very clear idea of what type of genre this movie is supposed to be in. It wasn't a comedy because it wasn't funny at all. It wasn't a thriller because it offered no surprises. It was a crime caper except it wasn't very exciting and it offered no intrigue at all.
The acting is surprisingly flat and dull. Most of the actors seem to be more interested in a paycheck than anything else. This is Owen Wilson's worst film to date and it's also his worst performance. He just didn't seem to be trying at all. Gary Sinise wasn't used much which is a good thing because his performance was pretty mundane. Charlie Sheen tried way too hard to be funny and he ended up just being annoying. Morgan Freeman just gave a dull performance and Sara Foster was pretty weak but she is beautiful.
I blame director George Armitage for this garbage. He had the right actors and the right story, he just couldn't keep a good focus on it. There were a bunch of ideas going all over the place and the film was just so messy. He doesn't keep the audience guessing because they most likely won't care. He doesn't keep the audience entertained because there are very few engaging scenes. He really has nothing important to say either and The Big Bounce is just a very unnecessary movie. In the end, The Big Bounce is simply not worth watching. Rating 3/10
I have never read the novel so I can't compare the movie to the book but I doubt the book is this bad. If Elmore Leonard doesn't like it then it's probably a disgrace to the book. The story itself isn't very fresh or new though the film does have an impressive cast. Unfortunately, the cast did little to help this very poor film. It ended up being a big waste of time and talent. The movie is just very dull and stupid. There really isn't a very clear idea of what type of genre this movie is supposed to be in. It wasn't a comedy because it wasn't funny at all. It wasn't a thriller because it offered no surprises. It was a crime caper except it wasn't very exciting and it offered no intrigue at all.
The acting is surprisingly flat and dull. Most of the actors seem to be more interested in a paycheck than anything else. This is Owen Wilson's worst film to date and it's also his worst performance. He just didn't seem to be trying at all. Gary Sinise wasn't used much which is a good thing because his performance was pretty mundane. Charlie Sheen tried way too hard to be funny and he ended up just being annoying. Morgan Freeman just gave a dull performance and Sara Foster was pretty weak but she is beautiful.
I blame director George Armitage for this garbage. He had the right actors and the right story, he just couldn't keep a good focus on it. There were a bunch of ideas going all over the place and the film was just so messy. He doesn't keep the audience guessing because they most likely won't care. He doesn't keep the audience entertained because there are very few engaging scenes. He really has nothing important to say either and The Big Bounce is just a very unnecessary movie. In the end, The Big Bounce is simply not worth watching. Rating 3/10
- christian123
- Nov 30, 2004
- Permalink
The Big Con was that we would pay to watch this drivel. It is supposed to be fun/laid back with a type of crime mystery plot, it is neither that much fun nor that mysterious, just sort of sex jinks with a dodgy scam.
Apparently this is a remake of an earlier film, which was not that good itself, so you think they would have made it better, unfortunately not.
They had a good cast, Morgan Freeman, Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Gary Sinise, with cameos from Harry Dean Stanton, Willie Nelson and Vinnie Jones, normally any film with this amount of talent would be great, but not this time.
The setting of Hawaii was good, but almost everything else was a let down, the actors seemed to be in Hawaii on holiday, they were not taking this film to seriously, neither the director nor the editor as both direction and editing stank, several scenes seemed to be missing, the plot could have been a good one, but it had too many holes and too many twists, it didn't work. The scenery was great and Sara Foster as the bikini clad beauty (amongst all the other beauties) was gorgeous, and that is about the best I can say about it, oh the Great character actor Harry Dean Stanton popped up in a cameo near the end, so I gave it a 2 for that.
Don't waste any money on this, if you want to see it, get it for free if you can.
Apparently this is a remake of an earlier film, which was not that good itself, so you think they would have made it better, unfortunately not.
They had a good cast, Morgan Freeman, Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Gary Sinise, with cameos from Harry Dean Stanton, Willie Nelson and Vinnie Jones, normally any film with this amount of talent would be great, but not this time.
The setting of Hawaii was good, but almost everything else was a let down, the actors seemed to be in Hawaii on holiday, they were not taking this film to seriously, neither the director nor the editor as both direction and editing stank, several scenes seemed to be missing, the plot could have been a good one, but it had too many holes and too many twists, it didn't work. The scenery was great and Sara Foster as the bikini clad beauty (amongst all the other beauties) was gorgeous, and that is about the best I can say about it, oh the Great character actor Harry Dean Stanton popped up in a cameo near the end, so I gave it a 2 for that.
Don't waste any money on this, if you want to see it, get it for free if you can.
- michaelarmer
- Jan 30, 2020
- Permalink
This is one of those movies that will slip through the cracks, but it's really not "bad". It's actually pretty GOOD, right up until... it doesn't have an ending. The ending seems to imply yet another twist - but it makes NO sense, and leaves more questions than it answers. The ending seems like they ran over-budget or over-time, and just stopped. The ending, it must be warned, SUCKS.
Maybe they couldn't afford a real ending; but the movie is pretty good up until then. It's a fun ride to a dead-end. Morgan Freeman settles into his part like he'd been waiting for it. Gary Sinise has a stifled role, but delivers his lines beautifully. Charlie Sheen is very nearly perfect as a slightly-dim, slightly confused henchman, and playing subtly against-type. Bebe Neuwerth appears as a boozy wife and gives far more to the part than is on the page, also against type, and perfectly-acted. Vinnie Jones stands-out too...
This movie could NOT fail - but it does. When it ends, you want to kick someone - the director or producers or studio financiers - for stopping what COULD have been so great! This movie has a painfully tiny scene with Willie Nelson and Harry Dean Stanton playing dominoes... I'm only a fan and don't know him personally, but I just KNOW that Elmore Leonard himself would stop any plot just to listen-in and watch to listen to those two guys play dominoes!
Owen Wilson is actually quite brilliant with the intricacies of the Elmore-dialogue that survive in the script! Don't say I'm wrong until you watch his scenes with Morgan Freeman in this movie. NOBODY was carrying anyone, and that's the truth. See the scenes with Charlie Sheen too - and there's a bouncing something there they keep between them. Someone on IMDb wrote "Charlie Sheen looks fat and stupid and like an ass" or something equally blind. What he DOES is play a different kind of self-effacing part, a *character* a bit of a boob - but also good and a bit "whipped" - do yourself a favor, and watch how NOT "Charlie-Sheen" he plays it - you might recognize a thing they call "acting".
Ahem, Sara Foster was the femme fatal, and the camera followed her far too much. She's gorgeous and who can blame the camera, and she gave a perfectly creditable performance; really, she was fine. Given something over a dozen better actors constantly on-hand (and the seeming final plot!) her time could have been cut a bit... but with this cast, and the first 80 minutes, this really could have been GREAT. Ignore it as the Sara Foster swimsuit video. There are some great performances hidden here. See this movie, and pretend the sequel is coming - or something.
Or don't see it - because you'll just wish it ended better.
As a shaggy-dog-story, this should end with a punchline. I'll end it the way movie ends instead, with build-up and seeming logic and then just stopping.
Maybe they couldn't afford a real ending; but the movie is pretty good up until then. It's a fun ride to a dead-end. Morgan Freeman settles into his part like he'd been waiting for it. Gary Sinise has a stifled role, but delivers his lines beautifully. Charlie Sheen is very nearly perfect as a slightly-dim, slightly confused henchman, and playing subtly against-type. Bebe Neuwerth appears as a boozy wife and gives far more to the part than is on the page, also against type, and perfectly-acted. Vinnie Jones stands-out too...
This movie could NOT fail - but it does. When it ends, you want to kick someone - the director or producers or studio financiers - for stopping what COULD have been so great! This movie has a painfully tiny scene with Willie Nelson and Harry Dean Stanton playing dominoes... I'm only a fan and don't know him personally, but I just KNOW that Elmore Leonard himself would stop any plot just to listen-in and watch to listen to those two guys play dominoes!
Owen Wilson is actually quite brilliant with the intricacies of the Elmore-dialogue that survive in the script! Don't say I'm wrong until you watch his scenes with Morgan Freeman in this movie. NOBODY was carrying anyone, and that's the truth. See the scenes with Charlie Sheen too - and there's a bouncing something there they keep between them. Someone on IMDb wrote "Charlie Sheen looks fat and stupid and like an ass" or something equally blind. What he DOES is play a different kind of self-effacing part, a *character* a bit of a boob - but also good and a bit "whipped" - do yourself a favor, and watch how NOT "Charlie-Sheen" he plays it - you might recognize a thing they call "acting".
Ahem, Sara Foster was the femme fatal, and the camera followed her far too much. She's gorgeous and who can blame the camera, and she gave a perfectly creditable performance; really, she was fine. Given something over a dozen better actors constantly on-hand (and the seeming final plot!) her time could have been cut a bit... but with this cast, and the first 80 minutes, this really could have been GREAT. Ignore it as the Sara Foster swimsuit video. There are some great performances hidden here. See this movie, and pretend the sequel is coming - or something.
Or don't see it - because you'll just wish it ended better.
As a shaggy-dog-story, this should end with a punchline. I'll end it the way movie ends instead, with build-up and seeming logic and then just stopping.
Greetings again from the darkness. What a total waste of a cool cast. Having never read Elmore Leonard's novel, I can't say whether the movie butchered the book or not. I can say that this is an extremely unfunny, poorly made movie with a ridiculous story that had me flashing back to those Elvis in Hawaii movies ... only without the charm and music! Director George Armitage ("Miami Blues", "Grosse Point Blank") either hated the story or called in sick everyday. Supermodel Sara Foster lacks the acting chops for her vital role in this triple-crossing fiasco. Talented screen veterans Morgan Freeman and Gary Sinise are totally wasted in this and comics Owen Wilson, Bebe Neuwirth and Charlie Sheen require some funny material to work their magic. Have I mentioned that the script was awful? Everytime I got my hopes up, I was left feeling empty. The domino game with Freeman, Wilson, Willie Nelson and Harry Dean Stanton could have been a classic scene, but instead fell flat. Even an early scene with football heroes Tony Dorsett, Mike Renfro and Pete Johnson goes nowhere because they are just treated as window dressing. When a movie wastes Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") we know it has nothing going for it. The scenes of Hawaii and the beautiful shoreline and water are the only good things to be taken from this.
- ferguson-6
- Jan 31, 2004
- Permalink
I would like to start out my review by saying I was looking forward to the Big Bounce. I enjoy watching Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman and Charlie Sheen on the big screen. I however feel this movie was marketed the wrong way. It was marketed as a slapstick comedy but turned out to only have a few laughs and a lot of mystery of who's scamming who? I walked out of The Big Bounce not overly satisfied but I was amused and entertained by the film nonetheless.
The film starts off with a huge laugh out loud scene and then proceeds to start developing its story. The movie stars Owen Wilson as Jack Ryan who is just your average Hawaii surfer dude/con man. Well, Jack is trying to go straight after being thrown in jail for an act of violence with one of his coworkers. Then Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman) offers Jack a job, so Jack works for him at his local vacation hotspot. This is where the trouble starts as he runs into Hottie Nancy (Sara Foster) who talks Jack into doing one last big scam. The question of who is scamming who proceeds.
The movies' acting was pretty decent like I said above I like the actors in this film. Owen Wilson always uses his likable charm to win the audience over. Charlie Sheen played more of a scumbag in the film but he was amusing to watch as well. Morgan Freeman was playing a very calm laid back character and he looked like he was having fun. As for Sara Foster well she did what she was paid for and that was to strut her stuff and she did a great job doing just that. As for Gary Sinise, who is a great actor if I might add, well he was very under used and kind of served no real purpose in the film. I think his actual screen time was actually less than 5 minutes you think they could have gotten a real nobody to play his role.
George Armitage who brought us the film Grosse Pointe Blank with John Cusack directed the film. He did a great job capturing the beauty that is Hawaii. I loved the camera shots of the beaches, the ocean, the waves, and the beautiful scenery. The man makes pretty decent films he just needs a better marketer. I mean Grosse Pointe Blank was a decent film but was a box office bomb. I also think the Big Bounce will bomb since I went to see it on an opening night and there weren't many people in the theater. I think its because its marketed more as a comedy then anything else when it doesn't really showcase that many laughs.
Sebastian Gutierrez who wrote the movie Gothika that I actually enjoyed but many hated wrote the movie. I think Mr. Gutierrez did a good job with this screenplay. It had some clever dialog and some comedy. I think however it was missing a little juice to spice it up. It needed an action scene or more comedy scenes to make it more interesting for a wider audience.
So in conclusion, I didn't like the film as much as I thought I was but it was decent. It was amusing and kept me interested. I liked the performances and scenery. Its a decent film to see at a Matinee showing but not really worth the evening price at the theater especially in CA where they charge pretty much $10 buck a ticket. If you don't catch it in the theater it will definitely make a decent rental when it hit DVD or VHS in a few months. My final rating for the Big Bounce is a 7/10.
The film starts off with a huge laugh out loud scene and then proceeds to start developing its story. The movie stars Owen Wilson as Jack Ryan who is just your average Hawaii surfer dude/con man. Well, Jack is trying to go straight after being thrown in jail for an act of violence with one of his coworkers. Then Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman) offers Jack a job, so Jack works for him at his local vacation hotspot. This is where the trouble starts as he runs into Hottie Nancy (Sara Foster) who talks Jack into doing one last big scam. The question of who is scamming who proceeds.
The movies' acting was pretty decent like I said above I like the actors in this film. Owen Wilson always uses his likable charm to win the audience over. Charlie Sheen played more of a scumbag in the film but he was amusing to watch as well. Morgan Freeman was playing a very calm laid back character and he looked like he was having fun. As for Sara Foster well she did what she was paid for and that was to strut her stuff and she did a great job doing just that. As for Gary Sinise, who is a great actor if I might add, well he was very under used and kind of served no real purpose in the film. I think his actual screen time was actually less than 5 minutes you think they could have gotten a real nobody to play his role.
George Armitage who brought us the film Grosse Pointe Blank with John Cusack directed the film. He did a great job capturing the beauty that is Hawaii. I loved the camera shots of the beaches, the ocean, the waves, and the beautiful scenery. The man makes pretty decent films he just needs a better marketer. I mean Grosse Pointe Blank was a decent film but was a box office bomb. I also think the Big Bounce will bomb since I went to see it on an opening night and there weren't many people in the theater. I think its because its marketed more as a comedy then anything else when it doesn't really showcase that many laughs.
Sebastian Gutierrez who wrote the movie Gothika that I actually enjoyed but many hated wrote the movie. I think Mr. Gutierrez did a good job with this screenplay. It had some clever dialog and some comedy. I think however it was missing a little juice to spice it up. It needed an action scene or more comedy scenes to make it more interesting for a wider audience.
So in conclusion, I didn't like the film as much as I thought I was but it was decent. It was amusing and kept me interested. I liked the performances and scenery. Its a decent film to see at a Matinee showing but not really worth the evening price at the theater especially in CA where they charge pretty much $10 buck a ticket. If you don't catch it in the theater it will definitely make a decent rental when it hit DVD or VHS in a few months. My final rating for the Big Bounce is a 7/10.
- ScottDMenzel
- Jan 29, 2004
- Permalink
It's movies like this that give modern-day films a reputation as "garbage," especially among classic-film lovers. I try to defend today's movies to them when they tell me today's movies are all morally bankrupt. Well, in this case, I have no rebuttal. I agree, this is another example of a modern effort that puts too much stock on the sleaze and winds up on the weak side of being classy. It's also another good example of a PG-13 movie that should have been rated "R." There are tons of examples of that in the last 15 years. Parents: be more leery of PG-13 than another rating.
Usually, a movie that features crime and comedy is going to be either really good or really bad, depending on the quality of the jokes. Here, very little was funny and by halfway, I could care less about the crime angle. If you are to inject humor into a heist story, make sure it works, or you are going to wind up with a mess like this. Also, the movie seemed to be more of an environmental propaganda piece than anything else. Did Al Gore have a hand in this? It would explain how boring this wound up and all the bias. It just looks as if the filmmakers didn't know what direction go to and wound up with a sub-par performance in all the categories.
Owen Wilson plays a smart-ass surfer dude. If his character "Jack Ryan" is the hero of this film, it's no wonder I got turned off in a hurry. I didn't find him a "likable guy," as some others did: just a wise guy who had the cute answers to everything. I have found Wilson to be similar to the crime-comedy genre: he's either very entertaining or very annoying.
Speaking of actors, I was very disappointed to see two of my favorites - Gary Sinise and Morgan Freeman - involved with this turkey.
I don't blame Wilson for everything. He didn't write the dialog. He didn't cast Sara Foster as the lead female. He didn't write a screenplay in which none of the characters are likable enough for us to care about them. At least I have company as I see most other reviewers here thought this movie stunk, too.
Usually, a movie that features crime and comedy is going to be either really good or really bad, depending on the quality of the jokes. Here, very little was funny and by halfway, I could care less about the crime angle. If you are to inject humor into a heist story, make sure it works, or you are going to wind up with a mess like this. Also, the movie seemed to be more of an environmental propaganda piece than anything else. Did Al Gore have a hand in this? It would explain how boring this wound up and all the bias. It just looks as if the filmmakers didn't know what direction go to and wound up with a sub-par performance in all the categories.
Owen Wilson plays a smart-ass surfer dude. If his character "Jack Ryan" is the hero of this film, it's no wonder I got turned off in a hurry. I didn't find him a "likable guy," as some others did: just a wise guy who had the cute answers to everything. I have found Wilson to be similar to the crime-comedy genre: he's either very entertaining or very annoying.
Speaking of actors, I was very disappointed to see two of my favorites - Gary Sinise and Morgan Freeman - involved with this turkey.
I don't blame Wilson for everything. He didn't write the dialog. He didn't cast Sara Foster as the lead female. He didn't write a screenplay in which none of the characters are likable enough for us to care about them. At least I have company as I see most other reviewers here thought this movie stunk, too.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Jul 2, 2007
- Permalink
Whether it was intended to be viewed this way or not, this movie was exactly that, a movie(which are supposed to be fun). It didn't make you think too hard(or at all), It had a beautiful cast in a beautiful location, a great soundtrack, and a quirky fun story. Sometimes these type of movies are just what the doctor ordered. So what that it has no deep and meaningful theme, or that there are spots in the movie that make absolutely no sense!!!! It suffered severely in the box office due to very poor marketing prior to its release as well as a nation full of people suffering from groupthink, and the critics are the ones pulling the strings. I found the movie extremely refreshing, a nice break from deep thought, and i chance where i could just sit down, fix my eyes on the TV, and smile :D
What a way to solve a problem for a drifter whose boss is making hotels and he doesn't like where he's building them at. Owen Wilson is at his best playing Jack Ryan, the drifter/thief and reluctant avenger who tries to stop his scheming boss Ray Ritchie(Gary Sinise, Forrest Gump, CSI:NY) for building his hotel. Ryan who has his run ins with the law gives himself a chance to find redemption, but the judge (Morgan Freeman) is also fair game as well. He hates Ritchie just as much as anyone else on the islands. Especially, his own wife (Bebe Neuwirth) who seems to drink way too much and is some clueless on who's who on this island. Nancy(Sara Foster), who happens to be Ray's mistress, and Jack's lover seems to know the dirt on Ray Ritchie. Including the one of the law enforcement officers who happens to be a "homo"! That would definitely tarnish his reputation. Jack's real lover is #9, who is she really? One will never know. Willie Nelson has never lost his touch as an actor since "Barbarosa", and I'm surprised that Judge Walter Crews got Ritchie's yacht and his wife, so I think everyone got what they wanted except for Ray Ritchie whom I don't feel sorry for. It was a real funny movie and the cast were great all the way. It proves a point there. Rating 3 out of 5 stars.
I really like movies that center around some impossible con with twists thrown in. But, this movie, which advertises itself as a funny con, was terrible. The final five minutes which explains who was setting who up was dumb. Plus, the whole con was to only get $200,000. I want someone to try to steal a priceless neckless or gold bars like in Heist. As for the funny part, there are no laughs. And even Morgan Freeman is bad in this. They show surfers as a transition between scenes; what does that tell you about a film.
FINAL VERDICT: It is short, only 80 minutes long, but it is not worth a viewing.
FINAL VERDICT: It is short, only 80 minutes long, but it is not worth a viewing.
Don't be fooled by everyone's comments on how horrible or how boring this movie is. Sure, if you are looking for an Academy Award-winning drama, you won't get what you wanting to see. I mean look at the star role! ITS OWEN Wilson. Some of his more recent films include Starsky and Hutch, Shanghai Knights, Royal Tenebaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Shanghai Noon, I mean COME ON. As soon as I saw he was in it I knew it was a comedy, and I was expecting a not-so-great storyline and some "controversial" things being said. If you want to see a comedy, then see this movie.
I, went, expecting a comedy, got one, and I give it a 8 out of 10.
I, went, expecting a comedy, got one, and I give it a 8 out of 10.
I don't know why this movie even exists. Maybe the book is better, but this movie has no entertainment value whatsoever. The plot doesn't make any sense, the characters have zero depth (what was Charlie Sheen's character for?), Sara Foster has no acting ability, the music is annoying, and to top it all off the whole movie has been sanitized for a lower rating - not that anyone would recommend this rubbish to anyone else as a family film. The only highlights are brief shots of Hawaiian scenery.
I'm glad I never paid at the cinema to see this, but I feel just as ripped off paying two bucks at Blockbuster to rent the DVD. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I feel sorry for the actors dragged into appearing in this movie.
I'm glad I never paid at the cinema to see this, but I feel just as ripped off paying two bucks at Blockbuster to rent the DVD. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I feel sorry for the actors dragged into appearing in this movie.
- starbase_74
- May 23, 2005
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The story never really gets going. It has a couple nice small (though not original) plot twists, but what was done with it? Nothing! As a viewer you have to fill in most of the main story while the actors are showing you some side stories. It could have been a nice (dark) crime movie/story. Now its neither crime nor a good comedy.
- mathijskees
- Jun 9, 2017
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Okay, there were three movies coming out this week, The Perfect Score which looks RETARDED (who cares about the SATs.THEY MEAN NOTHING), You Got Served (which has Steve Harvey my favorite person in the world), and this film The Big Bounce, which has an excellent cast and is based on a novel by Elmore Leonard. So I thought I picked the right one to check out..I was severely mistaken. This movie is so weird, so boring, and so dumb. It felt like all these actors vacationed together in Hawaii, and decided to make a movie while they were there, and just make it up as they went along. None of the dialogue made any sense, they would all have conversations that I couldn't understand, I can't even explain it but it was like another language, they kept talking in little quips and strange antidotes, it was truly bizarre, it seriously seemed like everyone got drunk and just started saying things to each other that made sense at the time. I think everyone signed on to this film so they could chill in Hawaii. I am utterly perplexed that a movie like this can be made and distributed. The only redeeming factor in this film is that Sara Foster (whoever she is) is the hottest woman I've ever seen. She is simply amazing. Other than her this movie is garbage. See it only if you like to punish yourself.sicko. Grade: F
- PlatiousDOTcom
- Jan 29, 2004
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Aside from all the negative buzz that surrounded this film before i saw it, i came out of it having enjoyed myself...for the most part that is. Owen Wilson makes this movie good. If it weren't for him, it would've probably been nothing. The only thing i didn't like about the movie was the ending. Without spoiling anything.....I think it was simply over done. The writer tried to make it TOO clever and it just came off kind of muddled. Not that i didn't understand what actually happened, I just thought it was a bit over the top. Being a fan of Owen Wilson, i found it quite funny, but if you're not a fan of his work, then STAY AWAY, cuz he is what makes the movie.
Overall......enjoyable movie, that deserves a better ending.
Overall......enjoyable movie, that deserves a better ending.
- PutAwaytheDope
- Jul 25, 2004
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Jack Ryan (Owen Wilson) is a charming petty criminal starting anew in Hawaii. He gets fired from Ray Ritchie (Gary Sinise)'s construction site after nailing supervisor Lou Harris (Vinnie Jones) with a bat. The construction is being protested by Hawaiian locals. Ritchie's flunky Bob Rogers Jr. (Charlie Sheen) warns him not to go back. District Judge Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman) is not a fan of Ritchie. Frank Pizzarro (Gregory Sporleder) is his low life friend desperate for money. Richie's trophy girlfriend Nancy Hayes (Sara Foster) finds him fascinating and wants him in a scheme to steal $200k from Ritchie.
This movie tries so very hard to be light and breezy. It's taking the Hawaiian surf and sands too seriously. Owen Wilson is using all his boyish charm. Sara Foster is an amateur actor. She's not much more than a body that talks. Together the material becomes as light as a feature. There is no depth here. There is no tension. The danger doesn't feel dangerous. It's all sunshine and bikinis. The story and schemes meander in its leisurely time. The tone is so light that it is actually quite boring.
This movie tries so very hard to be light and breezy. It's taking the Hawaiian surf and sands too seriously. Owen Wilson is using all his boyish charm. Sara Foster is an amateur actor. She's not much more than a body that talks. Together the material becomes as light as a feature. There is no depth here. There is no tension. The danger doesn't feel dangerous. It's all sunshine and bikinis. The story and schemes meander in its leisurely time. The tone is so light that it is actually quite boring.
- SnoopyStyle
- Sep 28, 2014
- Permalink
When I saw this movie, I came out of the theater thinking it wasn't good. When I got home, everything changed. I got the best satisfaction feeling of a feel-good movie. Not knowing why this sudden change of mind happened, I started thinking about the high and low points of this movie. First thing that came to mind was the setting where the movie takes place. It's a real paradise: beautiful beaches, sunsets, people, everything you would want in a perfect place. Those things made me feel good about having seen this movie. The second thing is the score. I have to admit that sometimes it's not any different from other movies but most of the time it was just great. It kind of sounded like the score to Wild Things. The third and final thing I enjoyed were the scenes where Owen Wilson's character is in the presence of Sara Foster's character. Those scenes were just perfect. The two of them have the best chemistry on screen. They really make this movie worth seeing. Now, some of the things I didn't like: the plot, because it wasn't going anywhere and you feel like you're watching a bad story happening on screen. No action whatsoever except for those two characters I mentioned before who literally save this movie from being completely dull. Something else I didn't like was the supporting actors. Great cast put together, but no good performances delivered. I'm thinking about Charlie Sheen, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Sinise. As for the director, well I'm not a big fan of the guy. I would go as far as saying that he doesn't know how to tell a story. Sometimes in this movie we get to see some unnecessary scenes without having to do with the actors. Apart from those bad things, the movie isn't so bad at all. If you're planning on seeing this movie, I would suggest you wait for the DVD release. But please, see this movie without expecting too much of it, otherwise you might be disappointed. Again, see it for the Owen Wilson - Nancy Hayes duo. They light up the screen.
"The Big Bounce" is not a boring film, but it is certainly unremarkable. It is too often the case that the film feels like a six-episode television series that has been scrapped and then condensed down into a 100 minute feature. It is rich in character diversity and snappy put-downs; overflowing with a sense of people coming and going in and out of one another's universes that can often be refreshing and is laden with micro-narratives pertaining to heists; betrayals and collapsing marriages, but there is no finished product – no substance to really sink one's teeth into.
Owen Wilson plays Jack Ryan (no, not that one) – a handsome conman who has served time for his petty crimes but now lies low on a Hawaiian island and works on a construction site. He's cool; calm and amusing. When he breaks the law, in infiltrating the glamorous surroundings of a beach house hosting a pool party so as to nab a couple of hundred in notes to tide himself over, he does it in such a way that we cannot quite hate him for it.
Ryan lands himself in some trouble when he clobbers a foreman with a baseball bat following an altercation on his work-site that involves protesters unhappy at the desecration of their lands to make way for a new hotel. Fired, and told menacingly by the henchman (played by Charlie Sheen) of his ex-boss that he should leave the island, he finds solace in working as a handyman for Morgan Freeman's district judge Walter Crewes on a small holiday-camp he runs on the side.
It is around this time that he meets Nancy (Sara Foster), a blonde twenty-something beach-bimbo with a backstory of city-based exotic dancing and a fetish for criminality – not a dangerous girl, but one who is fast and loose and too pretty for Ryan to turn away from when she demonstrates an interest in him. The reason for this is, of course, that he himself has a penchant for criminality, albeit petty burglaries. The relationship occupies the bulk of the film's middle third – Nancy, already having an affair with the chap who wants to build that hotel, is thus able to garner access to yachts and luxury villas otherwise off-limits where the endless teasing; flirting and talking plays out.
Sadly, there is no real substance to this core relationship: Nancy is turned on by criminals and Jack commits crimes. Elmore Leonard, author of the novel from many years earlier upon which the film is based, would later bring a character similar to Jack Ryan together with a federal marshal in "Out of Sight" – two binaries that should repel but who eventually come to attract. Rum Punch, later adapted as "Jackie Brown", possessed at the core of it a far tougher love story to bring to life between the eponymous Brown and Max Cherry.
Eventually, Nancy digs out that the man to whom she plays mistress possesses the sum of $200,000 nearby – located, as it happens, in a safe in one of these luxurious homes he owns. She hits upon the idea that they could steal it, but Ryan already has an angry foreman in a neck-brace out for payback; an on-off criminal accomplice in the form of Frank (Gregory Sporleder) saying he needs $1500 to pay off some bad people and a job to hold down for Crewes who has his own plans for Ryan...
The film is not remarkably well made – it is bouncy in that way "Get Shorty" and "Jackie Brown" are without ever being frivolous, but does not amount to the satisfying experience those films were. We are provided with endless shots of surfers to transist between scenes, while the close ups of the rolling white waves as they crash into the beach as Nancy and Jack make love is just clumsy. On one occasion, there is a particularly silly sequence whereby Nancy nips back and forth between the first and ground floors of a house to appease Jack and another male visitor (with whom she is additionally having an affair) without the other knowing either of them is present.
There is a certain style and a certain logic to the film, although I am perplexed as to why one character seems to spend the duration of the film trying to talk Ryan out of doing something which is crucial to a plan of his own that he has up his sleeve for later on. When all is said and done, this is tough to recommend as both a genre piece and as a standalone accomplishment.
Owen Wilson plays Jack Ryan (no, not that one) – a handsome conman who has served time for his petty crimes but now lies low on a Hawaiian island and works on a construction site. He's cool; calm and amusing. When he breaks the law, in infiltrating the glamorous surroundings of a beach house hosting a pool party so as to nab a couple of hundred in notes to tide himself over, he does it in such a way that we cannot quite hate him for it.
Ryan lands himself in some trouble when he clobbers a foreman with a baseball bat following an altercation on his work-site that involves protesters unhappy at the desecration of their lands to make way for a new hotel. Fired, and told menacingly by the henchman (played by Charlie Sheen) of his ex-boss that he should leave the island, he finds solace in working as a handyman for Morgan Freeman's district judge Walter Crewes on a small holiday-camp he runs on the side.
It is around this time that he meets Nancy (Sara Foster), a blonde twenty-something beach-bimbo with a backstory of city-based exotic dancing and a fetish for criminality – not a dangerous girl, but one who is fast and loose and too pretty for Ryan to turn away from when she demonstrates an interest in him. The reason for this is, of course, that he himself has a penchant for criminality, albeit petty burglaries. The relationship occupies the bulk of the film's middle third – Nancy, already having an affair with the chap who wants to build that hotel, is thus able to garner access to yachts and luxury villas otherwise off-limits where the endless teasing; flirting and talking plays out.
Sadly, there is no real substance to this core relationship: Nancy is turned on by criminals and Jack commits crimes. Elmore Leonard, author of the novel from many years earlier upon which the film is based, would later bring a character similar to Jack Ryan together with a federal marshal in "Out of Sight" – two binaries that should repel but who eventually come to attract. Rum Punch, later adapted as "Jackie Brown", possessed at the core of it a far tougher love story to bring to life between the eponymous Brown and Max Cherry.
Eventually, Nancy digs out that the man to whom she plays mistress possesses the sum of $200,000 nearby – located, as it happens, in a safe in one of these luxurious homes he owns. She hits upon the idea that they could steal it, but Ryan already has an angry foreman in a neck-brace out for payback; an on-off criminal accomplice in the form of Frank (Gregory Sporleder) saying he needs $1500 to pay off some bad people and a job to hold down for Crewes who has his own plans for Ryan...
The film is not remarkably well made – it is bouncy in that way "Get Shorty" and "Jackie Brown" are without ever being frivolous, but does not amount to the satisfying experience those films were. We are provided with endless shots of surfers to transist between scenes, while the close ups of the rolling white waves as they crash into the beach as Nancy and Jack make love is just clumsy. On one occasion, there is a particularly silly sequence whereby Nancy nips back and forth between the first and ground floors of a house to appease Jack and another male visitor (with whom she is additionally having an affair) without the other knowing either of them is present.
There is a certain style and a certain logic to the film, although I am perplexed as to why one character seems to spend the duration of the film trying to talk Ryan out of doing something which is crucial to a plan of his own that he has up his sleeve for later on. When all is said and done, this is tough to recommend as both a genre piece and as a standalone accomplishment.
- johnnyboyz
- Dec 22, 2016
- Permalink
Maybe this second movie version of Elmore Leonard's caper novel of the same name (first filmed in 1969 with Ryan O'Neal and Leigh Taylor-Young) is no GET SHORTY or OUT OF SIGHT, but it's a lot more fun than critics gave it credit for (a lot more fun than the dreary original, for sure!), and it deserved to do better at the box office. When it came out back in January, this BIG BOUNCE's new Hawaii setting was especially welcome during this harsh winter season! Hell, all it took to make me love this flick was the playful rock-tinged Hawaiian-style score (though scorer George S. Clinton missed an opportunity: it would've been such a hoot to include Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Kicks" or a cool cover of same, in honor of TBB's thrill-seeking leads! :-), the lush tropical scenery, and the sight of Owen Wilson naked in the ocean! :-) Wilson, the king of comedic neo-slacker cool, is in his element as Jack Ryan (so not Tom Clancy's action hero! :-), an ex-con surfer dude with a penchant for getting in trouble (as he says, his "two longtime companions" are "bad luck and bad choices"). Jack gets into plenty of it thanks to newcomer Sara Foster as Nancy, a sun-kissed cutie with the insouciant insolence of the young Lauren Bacall. Wilson and Foster have an easygoing, playful chemistry even when they get their kicks from stealing cars and "B&E" (Breaking and Entering, a popular indoor sport for movie couples earlier this year what with TBB and ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND). When the stakes are raised up to murder, however, Jack has to start rethinking his laissez-faire approach to life... Wilson and Foster have a great cast to double-cross and be double-crossed by, including Morgan Freeman, Bebe Neuwirth, Gary Sinise, our fave British movie tough guy Vinnie Jones (nice change of pace, seeing him get his butt kicked for a change :-), Willie Nelson, and Charlie Sheen and Harry Dean Stanton as father and son! Add lots of snappy dialogue (I particularly liked Wilson's "friendship" speech to Gregory Sporleder: "If I'm in trouble, you won't be there for me...I won't be there for you..." It's a Bogart-style tough-guy speech given a slyly witty spin thanks to Wilson's laid-back delivery), much of it uttered over the rocks (in more ways than one -- I haven't seen so much drinking in a crime comedy since the THIN MAN movies, only the drinking impairs the characters' judgment here :-), and you've got a lighthearted, lightweight way to pass a lazy afternoon, especially if the weather is too dreary for real-life fun in the sun!
This movie isn't exactly amazing but it's still a pretty fun time. The scenery is beautiful and camera work is well done. It's essentially 90 minutes of Owen Wilson being a mischievous, yet really wholesome dude and I find nothing bad about that. As a comedy this kinda fails with a few exceptions, but damn if it's not entertaining to watch. I mean we get to see this dude who's down on his luck outsmart everyone who's out to get him and pick up this chick he's into. It's just a satisfying experience to watch. Morgan Freeman's great too and while no one exactly deserves an Oscar for this, by the end of the film I had a big ass smile on my face and as the credits rolled, I was left to say only the lead's famous words - "Wow."
- ronthelifeguard
- Jun 14, 2019
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- evalverdes
- Jul 31, 2013
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