The Big Year (PG)
- Starring: Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Rashida Jones, Rosamund Pike, Kevin Pollak, Anjelica Huston, Dianne Wiest
- Director: David Frankel
- Duration: 100 mins
- Year: 2011
Three disparate men, each facing unique personal challenges, try to outdo each other in the ultimate bird-watching competition in 1998 -- the year El Nino brought an unprecedented number of species to North America. Their quest takes them on an unforgettable trek throughout North America.
Reviews
Alison Rowat's Review
Into that not so crowded genre, the lesser spotted birdwatching comedy, steps David Frankel’s gentle effort.
Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin are three birders intent on doing “the big year”, spotting as many birds as they can to win the title. Wilson’s smoothie is the reigning champ, Black is the son who has failed at everything else and needs to succeed at this, while Martin is a recently retired chief executive in search of something outside work.
It bumbles along pleasantly enough, with the trio on a gratifyingly low peep. As is the way, life lessons are learned and messages delivered with woodpecker-like subtlety. Other than that, not a lot happens outside of spotting birds.
The real star is the north American landscape.