The Big Year

source: The Big Year

I think this movie was all over the place, one minute they were in Washington the next all the way in Maine, These people are "birders" and it seams like all these birders are unhappy and struggle to see every bird they can, brad one of the main birders said he maxed out 6 credit cards including his moms with a $6,000 limit. i think being a birder is a rich mans thing. They went up in a helicopter through a canyon to see a rare kind of bird, also they were in the middle of nowhere on an island in Alaska with no store or anything. This movie is overall alright and i would recommend it to any birder or anyone who loves birds.

Winners are grinners, and everyone won, in some way. The actors, the audience, and the characters. As others have written, this is not your typical Jack Black, Steve Martin or Owen Wilson movie, although Owen Wilson doesn't stray far from some of his other characters. The romantic interest (Rashida Jones) was delightful, and (not having read the book) I thought that she was secretly going for a Big Year herself, so the plot was twisted in my mind to that effect (not a bad thing). Anjelica Huston has a cameo that adds quite a bit to the comedy. Overall, I thought it was a great movie which presents the everpresent challenges of attaining your dreams, balancing your obsessions / hobbies with the important things in life - which are yours to determine - not anyone else. Funny, not irreverent. Beautiful, and not overpowering dramatic, but with some drama. Well-worth watching on the big screen.

It is beyond me why this movie is not insanely popular. It maybe too smart, or too heartwarming, or too sunny... I watched it probavly 20 times, I will watch it many times more. This is exceptionally great movie and I absolutely love it.

Well, they managed to do what might be considered impossible... make an interesting film about bird watching. Yes, that's correct; this movie is about competitive bird watching. I have to say that I enjoyed it and the only bird I really care about is the next one that I'm going to eat. So, crafting a film with this subject matter depends upon the characters and the lives they lead more than the subject itself. Fortunately, the writers deliver three interesting lead characters. While not superb, they offer a nice cross section of people dealing with purpose and obsession issues. Plus, the entire cast features familiar faces everywhere. It's a "who's who" of cameos and surprise bit parts. Another reason I enjoyed it WAY more than I thought I would.

I am not sure why I didn't give this a 1, I guess it is respect for some of the work done by Owen Wilson and Steve Martin so a 2 it will be. Hard to believe you can go 97 minutes without a single funny joke. I watched this on a plane and wished I could have the time back. The story centers on three characters that are hard to care about. The only thing to learn is where birds are and well, I can get that on Nat Geo channel. Now wait, you can learn what a "Big Year" is but beyond that there is nothing to this story. I guess you do get to realize life's balance is the most important thing. Save your time, avoid this dribble!

It's not flashy. It's heavy on things like script, nuance, stage craft. Often times movies are "cast heavy", bigger stars then their roles. This was obviously a script that everyone bought into. Point being, there are no highs or lows, it's just good throughout. I miss movies like this. Pure entertainment and story telling.

I love this movie! Great acting, great writing, beautiful scenery, interesting stories that intertwine. It shows the different family relationships of each main character. Such a healthy heart warming and fun movie. It has it all, romance, competition, friendship, family issues, work issues and nature. I love the ending song of 'this could all be yours someday' with all bird pics. It leaves a strong environmental message that if we want to keep these birds and all the beautiful nature shown in the film that it's ours if we want it. And it sends the message that family and friend relationships are all apart of that future. A really beautiful movie all the way around and perfectly balanced. Nothing is out of place with this one. A perfect 10!

This was a an unexpected surprise. Steve Martin has been very quiet for some time, while Jack Black is better known for low brow comedy. They both out did themselves in this. Do you do what's right or do what is expected of you, even when it's something that other people would regard as only a hobby? The cast members each take their own course in life for better or for worse. However, once the decision is made, they follow through (in most cases). You, as the audience member, is left to consider whether you would have done the same. File this one under "Life Lesson Movies" without being preachy.

This is a film about bird spotting. A three way race to see the most birds in one year. I switched this on with some trepidation, mainly because of the cast. I was expecting lots of zany antics and was sure at some point Jack Black would jump out of a pond with a plastic duck on his head. This did not happen. The film is gentle, restrained and articulate. The story is very plain, don't expect any action or any belly laughs. This restraint works well against the backdrop of bird watching. The writers go to lengths not to poke fun at the "Birders" which was quite refreshing. The main themes look around motivation of people with obsessive hobbies and their relationships with those outside their hobby. This isn't going to make it in to my DVD collection but I do recommend it for a watch. Don't expect too much and you won't be let down.