Big Night

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source: Big Night

source: Big Night

This movie is like a good poem: it doesn't all make sense, but you love experiencing it, and after you're done you keep thinking about it for days and days. "Big Night" tells of two Italian brothers trying to succeed as restaurateurs in the 1960s. The bulk of the movie revolves a single "big night" in which they unleash their finest dishes in a culinary extravaganza. The leads, Shalhoub and Tucci, are joined by Ian Holm (depicting a rival restaurateur) in a really memorable set of performances. All the minor supporting characters are equally endearing and real-to-life. There is a lot of attention given to the food and to its preparation, and the cinematography used to actually depict the meal (and the music superimposed onto it) is fantastically enjoyable. It's like the dishes are actors or characters in the play! The movie's final scene is perhaps deserving of the all-time hall of fame. It plays out over several minutes of complete wordless silence, yet it makes such a lasting impression. Ultimately the scene shows that the movie is not about the food or the striving for success, but about the relationship between these brothers, and that the relationship will outlast any of the trials they are undergoing, no matter how severe. If you insist on a tidy ending that resolves all the issues, don't look here because the ending is completely hanging. Yet somehow I found it satisfying nevertheless. You'll find yourself recalling scenes and lines from the film for weeks to come.

I was a bit disappointed in this movie, I guess my expectations had been built up a bit by what I'd heard and read about this film. It is a clever, well produced movie - no question. However, it is also quite slow, and has no real resolution. In the end, all I can say is that it feels like a waste - of a clever idea, of good writing, of a very talented cast - because nothing really happened. Worth a watch but not worth the 7.8 or so it's currently rated at. My vote: 7/10

Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci are good friends in real life and together they made this delicious gem. Tucci plays Secondo who along with his brother Primo (Tony Shalhoub) run a restaurant named the Paradise. Primo is a genius as a chef but they are on the verge of going out of business so Secondo goes down the street to a very popular place run by an acquaintance named Pascal (Ian Holm) and Secondo asks for a loan. Pascal doesn't give it to him but decides to help him by having singer Louis Prima come to their restaurant with the press knowing he's coming also. Their restaurant will become famous when its mentioned in the paper so the two brothers plan a big night with special meals. Secondo invites his girlfriend Phyllis (Minnie Driver) and Primo wants to invite the flower shop woman Ann (Allison Janney) but is to shy. Secondo helps him out by inviting her. This is another enjoyable film where food is the common component that enables them to communicate. The food and its preparation is the art of the film. Watching Primo prepare meals is a real spectacle to behold. He really does come across as a great chef, there is no doubt as you watch this. But at the core of this film is the love and respect of Secondo and Primo as brothers. Even when they argue it is done with mutual respect. Yes, they get furious but at no real time do we get the feeling that they will walk away from one another. Scott and Tucci have created a wonderful blend of food and love and its the relationship between the two brothers that is the key here. Secondo is having problems committing to Phyllis and while its an important part of the film, its not the main focus. Janney adds just the right touch as Ann and you can understand the awe that she feels when she watches Primo at work and can witness his skill first hand. Tucci and Shalhoub shine in their roles and together they bring a very good film up another notch! This film also does a believable job of recreating the time period that the film is suppose to take place in. When people ask me for a good film to rent I always think of this one. Its a real gem.

This film is about two Italian brothers counting on a night that could save their restaurant from bankruptcy. It is the most deceptive that the synopsis goes "Whoever loves food will love this movie." Food only appears once in the first 46 minutes of the film, in the form of a wide angle shot of two patrons eating a risotto. The only decent shot of food we get is a "secret recipe" pie being cut open. For a film about restaurants, it is almost a disgrace to not have food prominently featured. Look at other outstanding restaurant films such as "Mostly Martha", or even "Gloomy Sunday". it can be seen that "Big Night" falls way short of similar films. The worst thing about this film is the poor script. Nothing ever happens in the film. There is no drama, there is no action, there is nothing. Simply nothing. The uptight Primo is annoying, while Secondo is unsympathetic either as he spends all his time being a playboy instead of trying to save the restaurant. Camera work is terrible. Shots can be continuous for 5 minutes with only slight camera movements. Can we at least have two angles shooting two people having a conversation? This film is an ultimate test of endurance. It is very boring, and has no substance.

Apart from Babette's Feast, this is probably the best food-themed movie I have ever seen. Despite sounding dreadfully dull, the entire movie is about two brothers who own a struggling restaurant and the preparations they make for a special dinner which will be attended by the singer, Louis Prima (King Louie's voice in Disney's Jungle Book). How is this interesting? Well, the relationships between the characters are so well-written and the acting is so good you really find yourself caring about these ordinary and very believable people. It is a fine counter-point to the often loud and vulgar fare from Hollywood and in many ways is reminiscent of a foreign film (particularly the excellent German film "Mostly Martha"), though it was made in the good old USA.

This is just amazing, quite unlike any other "american" film I ever saw; a gentle, bittersweet tale of frustrated dreams and artistic integrity, an hilarious comedy of manners performed by an outstanding international cast, a touching blend of awkward romance and the central relationship between the two brothers, brilliantly portrayed by co-creator Tucci and Hollywood's "every-foreigner", the sublime Tony Shalhoub. Big Night dragged me through wider range of emotions than any other movie, it made me want to dance and sing during the party scene (Mambo Italiano), made me laugh out loud at the wacky characters sprinkled throughout, made me angry with the philistines and money-grabbing capitalists who spoil the brothers' dream, made me want to hug Shalhoub's shy gastronomic genius Primo as he tried so clumsily to chat up his flower-girl; the food looked simply amazing, Minnie Driver splashing around in the sea was at her most gorgeous, every actor played their brilliantly scripted part to perfection and the scene at the end with the omelette is the most beautiful and poignant ending I could ever hope to see. All in all this film is one of the best ever made and everyone in the world and especially in Hollywood should be forced to watch it every week until they get some humanity back in them. But not on an empty stomache, get some snacks in first eh.

Another genre movie that I'm not fond of: the restaurant! Usually the manager has big needs of money, there is feud in the kitchen and the food is the art moment! You will find all this here and nothing else… The story isn't funny or dramatic, but rather without sense or direction… Each scene lasts forever to tell nothing! It's a huge boredom, with flat characters… The only good moments are the few scenes with Isabella and Minnie: they are cute in this fifties fashion, they have the most interesting parts and we understand their situation… and it's funny to see that they are the tallest people among those small Italian males so that's surely the fact that will stay for this useless movie!