The Big Year- rental

The Big Year

When this was released last year I remember it getting pretty good reviews although looking at rottentomatoes.com I see it only had a 39% approval rating.  A movie about three guys doing extreme bird watching?  Was I going to waste my hard earned peso's on this movie?  Not a chance!  Jack Black?  I can't stand him.  He is so obnoxious I want to give him a good slap.  Not crazy about Owen Wilson either.  How long has it been since Steve Martin was in a good movie?  A LONG time.

I accidentally recorded this on my DVR thinking it was a different movie.  Guess what?  It was actually a pretty good movie!  I know many will think I'm sniffing glue again.  No way can a movie about three grown men spending their time looking for birds be a good movie.  That's the hitch.  The bird watching does not really have much to do with the movie.  It could be stamp collecting or playing chess.  It really is a relationship movie.  That and showing how stupid men can be when the competitive nature kicks in! : >


Black plays Brad Harris.  He has always enjoyed bird watching and wants to take it to the next level.  There is a magazine that keeps a record of most birds seen in a year.  It's completely on the honor system.  No pictures or other verification needed.  Brad has a strained relationship with his gruff father who does not get his son wasting all this time looking at birds.  Steve Martin is Stu.  He is a retiring executive with a very understanding wife who befriends Brad.  The record for birds is held by the master, Kenny Bostick (Wilson) who is obsessed with birds and even more holding on to the record.  His wife is not understanding and their relationship is unraveling at a fast pace.  


As I said I normally don't care for Jack Black.  Here he is very constrained and likable as he really wants to mend his relationship with his dad.  


This movie won't win any awards but I enjoyed it.  I was touched at the end and felt the acting took what clearly is a goofy subject and made it watchable.