User reviews

I actually thought this movie was pretty good. I had never even heard of it, but considering that I really like Robin Williams and Giovanni Ribisi, I thought i'd give it a shot. So sure, its not a "comedy" in the typical sense of the word, nor is it a typical "action" movie, or even a typical "drama" - this movie fits into a mixed category. There's a bit of humor (the two gay thugs and Holy Hunter's character), there's a bit of drama in regards to the relationships, and there's a bit of action. But everything is pretty subdued. Nonetheless, I thought the actors did a great job, and it was "different", which I can appreciate. I normally am not a huge fan of Holy Hunter, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed her in this movie; her character was very interesting and she delivered it very well. And yes, maybe there are a few aspects that are "not believable" as the previous person who commented said, but what movies are completely real? Movies are not meant to be an exact replica of what life is, if they were, then we might as well sit at the bus stop and watch life go by. Maybe not a masterpiece, but certainly entertaining and very good acting.

"There is a picture of my movie on a milk carton. Have you seen this movie? It's missing… I don't know what happened to it… it's a funny movie... a strange movie. But it's literally one of those productions where you go... phht, gone. Not even straight to DVD, just gone."

• Robin Williams

Some movies just don't stand a chance. Orson Welles and Sergio Leone both suffered the frustrations of seeing beloved productions sabotaged in front of their eyes. (Well, in Welles' case, "The Magnificent Ambersons" was chopped by fifty minutes while he was out of the country, but I imagine he ultimately would have felt the same as Leone, whose "Once Upon a Time in America" was butchered by Warner Bros.' editor and mangled into a two-hour mess.) But occasionally something even worse happens – the film just totally disappears. Jerry Lewis was passionate about "The Day the Clown Cried" until he saw the final cut – which was presumably bad enough that it caused him to vow never to let anyone see it. He is in possession of the only negative in existence – which is tucked away in a vault inside his home. He wouldn't even let his daughter watch it. For all the people involved in the production of the film, it must have felt like a rug had been pulled from under their feet. Work under grueling conditions and persevere for countless hours on a crowded movie set – only to realize your efforts will never be seen by anyone? "The Big White" is such a film – after generating less-than-enthusiastic reviews at a handful of North American and European screenings, its worldwide distributor, Capitol Films, pulled the plug and decided not to release it into theaters at the risk of losing money on advertising. The film died a silent death and disappeared for two years, before finally surfacing on DVD in Canada and Asian markets thanks to Alliance-Atlantis films. It has subsequently gained a small cult following and sales overseas have been better than expected.

Comparisons to "Fargo" (and there have been many) are valid. Screenwriter Collin Friesen mimics the Coen Brothers' penchant for wickedly dark humor, and even places his film in a snowy setting in the Yukon (the film was shot on location as well as in Winnipeg). Even the plot is similar: a down-on-his-luck businessman (played by Robin Williams) cannot afford to help his troubled wife (Holly Hunter), who seems to suffer from some type of "stress"-induced tourette's syndrome, and decides to cash in on the long absence of his brother (Woody Harrelson) by passing him off as legally dead and gaining a $1,000,000 life insurance payment. Unfortunately, Canadian law demands that a person be missing for more than ten years to be declared legally dead. So when Williams finds a dead body in a dumpster outside his office (the temporary storage place for two bumbling hit men who never suspect anyone will find the body), he passes it off as his brother and collects a check.

But a claims inspector (Giovanni Ribisi) is suspicious of the sudden appearance of this long-lost brother, and as he begins to investigate realizes what is really going on. Meanwhile, Williams' wife is kidnapped by the two hit men who want back their dead body, and brother Woody Harrelson returns after reading about his "death" in a paper – demanding a portion of the paycheck.

The finale is violent and unexpected, but the build-up is, at times, deliberately pretentious and decidedly "low-budget" – and if you've seen any independent film of the last ten years or so, you'll understand what this means. Long, artsy shots of nothingness; excessively quirky characters; brutal humor; vicious sarcasm.

But it's a fun movie. It's no "Fargo" but director Mark Mylod keeps it moving along at a steady pace. Williams phones in another twisted performance, but it's Giovanni and his girlfriend in the movie, played by Alison Lohman, who really stand out – along with Hunter as Williams' oddball wife. Although her profane outbursts become annoying after a while, for the most part Hunter manages to balance the humor and pathos correctly.

For fans of dark humor or independent features this is one worth checking out. It will appeal to some viewers very much, and others will probably loathe it. I found it to be agreeably distracting and thought its saving graces were standout performances by its cast. Apart from this, however, you'd be better off watching "Fargo" again.

I guess you could compare this film to Fargo or Mystery Alaska. Its worth a watch of you enjoy a black comedy. It has some great slapstick moments and the acting performances and direction are all fantastic. The humour may be a bit subtle for some people but I thought it had great charm throughout. The story line may seem a bit similar to other movies such as A simple plan, Shallow Grave and Fargo but there was enough originality to keep you interested. The Chemistry between Robin Williams and Giovanni Ribisi really works and you can tell the director gave them a chance to flow and add lib their scenes together. Some of the visuals out in the snow and mountains are stunning too. *** Rent it, you wont be disappointed.

Paul Barnell (Robin Williams) is an Alaskan travel agent having financial problems. His brother has been missing for some time and he attempts to cash in the life insurance policy worth $1m. Unfortunately, the insurance agent (Giovanni Ribisi) won't let him cash it in until his brother has been missing for a much longer period or until the body is found. One day whilst putting trash in a dumpster Paul finds a corpse that has been left there by two amateur criminals. He then has the idea of taking the corpse away and using it to pass off as his brother. What unfolds is a complicated plot involving the insurance claims worker desperate to prove that the corpse is not the brother, the two criminals attempt to recover the corpse by kidnapping Paul's mentally ill wife (Holly Hunter) and the return of Paul's lost brother (Woody Harrelson).

This film is hilarious and in my opinion is the funniest film of 2005. The complicated plot allows it to have plenty of comedic moments and well delivered lines by all actors especially Robin Williams.

The plot is very reminiscent to that of Fargo and A Simple Plan. All three films have a storyline involving Money, Death and Snow. Fargo and A Simple Plan have are more serious tone than this film does and allow the cold atmosphere they are set in to make the story more colder than it already is. The comedy in Fargo is much more subtle than this film and does not go as far. The problem this film has is that the quantity of comedy in this film almost squeezes the coldness out of the plot.

This film is definitely worth watching for the high comedy value it has but if you are a fan of Fargo and A Simple Plan looking for a similar dark cold thriller, prepare to be disappointed.

The obvious other movie that comes to mind when watching 'The Big White' is the Coen Brothers's 'Fargo' (you know, the kidnapping/ransom of the spouse, the money, Winnipeg etc). However, it's the comedy that makes the difference. In 'Fargo' the humour is more subtle and disguised as drama while in 'The Big White' the dialogues and situations are more obviously funny and that's what gives it its own charm. Another difference is that 'Fargo' is a black comedy while this one is more of a dark comedy that's not exactly black. Mark Mylod directs a splendid ensemble cast and tells the story at an initially slow but eventually steady pace. The actors are great. Robin Williams as the down-on-his-luck travel agent trying to make some quick bucks is wonderful. Holly Hunter is hilarious as the wife suffering from fake Tourettes syndrome (more likely a form of Munchausen's syndrome). She brilliantly balances humour and pathos. Both she and Williams share a good chemistry as do Giovanni Ribisi and Allison Lohman. Ribisi naturally fits the part while Lohman has a small role but makes the best of what she has and shines. Tim Blake Nelson and Earl Brown are quite funny too and Woody Harrelson, though initially loud, manages to give a more controlled performance in the latter reel. It's a dark comedy, so the humour is obviously dark but this is a fun film and I really liked it. The songs are very nice too especially 'I Want To Protect You' by Mark Everett. The cinematography is marvelous in the beginning but slowly settles for OK as the story moves towards the end. It's a pity that the film didn't even get a proper theatrical release and remains underrated and unseen by many. I'm glad I caught it and it's definitely worth watching for those who like dark comedy. What's not to like? There's violence, romance, suspense, humour and it's a clever story.

The theme of this movie is that people can't help but revert to being caring and polite. It is quite sweet to watch even abductors and abductees treating each other with kindness, simply because they forget themselves and act instinctively. A typical joke of this form was the kidnapper preparing a gourmet meal for his victim, and fussing over whether she enjoyed it.

It is not the wild crazy comedy you would expect of Robin Williams. It is more the nightmare of how a small crime is forced to escalate.

There is a lot of quite grisly violence. People do it without thinking, then later think better of it.

The Holly Hunter character is a complete original. She is a bit nuts, but very pleasant.

Even the young ditzy phony telephone psychic loves her clients, and gives them quite reasonable advice.

It does not tie up loose ends. You are always guessing why people are doing what they are. There is no Agatha Christie ending to explain it all.

Reading through some of the other comments, a common train of thought seems to be "where did this come from?". I would class myself as a regular film go-er, and pride myself with my knowledge of up and coming films. Yet, I had never even heard of this fantastic movie! It was a chance encounter in HMV that lead me to this.

And, it is fantastic! Tim Blake Nelson and Earl Brown steal the show in my mind...if only every Hit-man were so inept! And, it was nice to see Robin Williams step back slightly, and tone his character down. Excellent choice! You really, really, really should watch this film, and see what so many others missed out on!

Not a holly hunter fan but she is amazing in this movie, and what a cast I only gave it a 6 because it's a slow burn and they could have made it move faster but overall worth watching once Robin Williams gives another phenomenal performance and all of us MISS him...... especially now!!!!!

The Big White focus on travel agent Paul Barnell (Robin Williams), and him trying to overcome his financial dilemmas. After failing to cash out the insurance policy of his brother, who is missing since 5 years and assumed dead, he stumbles across a frozen corpse. A new opportunity arises, but not without problems! While trying to get the corpse to pass of as his dead brother, Paul need to handle the two hit men (W. Earl Brown and Tim Blake Nelson) wanting their corpse back and keep one step ahead of insurance agent Ted (Giovanni Ribisi).One heck of a stew is cooking!

You can't avoid comparing The Big White with the Coen brothers' Fargo, since they're similar in style and story. Fargo, however, is better. But this film is far from bad, and it's not as black a comedy as the Coens-flick.

Acting and characters are wonderful. The script works perfectly. The pace is sometimes on the slow side, but not for long. The story is a mixture of love, comedy, drama, sadness and perhaps a wee bit of hatred. Good stuff for a movie in other words! You won't get disappointed by this film, unless you've got something against the similarities with Fargo. If you loved Fargo, you'll like this one. Perhaps even more. 8/10

The Big White is one of the more recent dark comedies Robbin Williams has been doing. About a soon to be bankrupt Alaskan travel agent who sees an opportunity to get out of the hole and help his wacky wife. Barrnel (Williams) find a body in a dumpster and tries to pass it off as his long lost brother to collect the million in insurance. The hit men show up to get the body, the brother comes back, and the insurance investigator is hot on Barrenl's trail. The thin plot and dialog is greatly enhanced by the all star cast who all get their parts exactly on target. If you're looking for a ton of laughs, pass on this. If you're looking for some of the versatility from a nice cast, then this is for you.

I really liked this movie. I picked it up on a whim one night simply because Williams and Harrelson were in it. I had never heard of the movie before. It's wonderful. It's full of dark humor and light humanistic moments that are sure to make you laugh. You feel for Robin's character and you want him to succeed...even though his task is gruesome. The end of the movie even makes you feel for Harrelson's character whom is loathsome when you first meet him. I have to say, however, my favorite is Holly Hunter in this one. Not usually a big fan because of her weird accent, but she is laugh out loud funny. It seems as though she's simply pretending to have an illness so that she can do and say whatever she feels like. It's a great movie that hasn't received enough attention.

Saw this back in 2009, and it's just a movie I like and just watched again this week. Robin Williams (RIP), Holly Hunter, Giovanni Ribisi, and Alison Lohman (who sadly retired from acting over a decade ago, and I miss her, she was adorable, versatile, beautiful and a really good actress) Are all a bunch of lovely weirdos who get sucked into a murder mystery involving life insurance. Lots of other great actors in this movie too, it's a Bizarre and Fun story with alot of laughs along the way, even though it is kind of a dark story, you still can't help but laugh (Allison Janney and Woody Harrelson in this too) Worth a Watch and a Re-watch FOR SURE!! ;D.

Figured with Robin Williams and Woody Harrelson, that you'd get some good laughs, but the summary read "black comedy", they're right there. There was no comedy at all, I think the "Three Stooges" could've done better with a dead body and trying to make money. Not worth watching! Whatever with this alarm clock, I didn't see that one. The music is okay, wouldn't purchase it in a store, but I know Robin Williams has made better films than this one, this must be like a "Class B" movie, try RV, he did excellent in that one. But Dumb and Dumber had a lot of class on this movie, this one had no plot, no ending, and was quite the waste of time, only watched half, had to turn it off!!!!!!!!!!!

The owner of a small travel agency in Alaska (Robin Williams) loves his wife with Tourette Syndrome (Holly Hunter), but he's financially strapped and needs funds fast. After stumbling upon a frozen corpse he hatches a harebrained scheme that draws the suspicion of an obsessed insurance claims investigator (Giovanni Ribisi). Alison Lohman plays the latter's live-in girlfriend while Woody Harrelson plays the protagonist's wild brother. Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown are also on hand as goofy wannabe hitmen.

"The Big White" (2005) is similar to "Fargo" (1996), but more eccentric and comedic. Imagine "A Simple Plan" (1998) or the later "Sugar Mountain" (2016) if they were oddball black comedies and you'd have a good idea.

The cast is notable and it's entertaining enough for what it is while attempting to balance the unsavory with the honorable, but it tries a bit too hard to be offbeat (which I suppose is better than not trying enough). Meanwhile the locations & cinematography are great, Lohman is stunning in a cute way and the diverse score is exceptional.

The movie runs 1 hour, 40 minutes, and was shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Whitehorse, Yukon. The bulk of the outdoor sequences and cinematography were shot at summit of the White Pass along the border of Alaska and British Columbia, not far from Skagway.

GRADE: B-/C+

Snowbound location. Pitch black comedy. A corpse that's central to the plot. The Big White was obviously influenced by Fargo, the Pulp Fiction of wintry crime comedies, but holds its own fairly well thanks to solid acting and writing. It's nothing new or incredible, but it'll get you your perversely humorous noir fix, and who can say no to Robin Williams, playing a pitiable travel agent who spies a risky way to end his financial problems. Discovering a frozen corpse, he has the brilliant idea to pass it off as his deceased brother and collect the insurance money. A few problems lie ahead: a dogged insurance investigator (Giovanni Ribisi), two moronic hit men (Tim Blake Nelson & W. Earl Brown) and the small detail that his brother isn't actually dead, and comes waltzing back into his life in the form of a rampaging, unstable Woody Harrelson. William's spitfire wife (Holly Hunter) looks on in exasperation as her husband turns their lives into disaster, while everyone is somewhat clueless and misinformed, leading to great amounts of hilarity. Sound chaotic? It is, sort of. It's also kinda laid back and deadpan enough to make the Coen brothers proud. Harrelson and Williams both bring their very different brands of manic, Williams I'm a forlorn desperate sense, and Harrelson just the unhinged wildcard. Alison Lohman is also running about, but it's been so long since I saw it I can't remember exactly who she plays. Fans of Fargo will be tickled, those with a weird sense of humour as well. Fun stuff.

The premise is nice enough ... another "Simple Plan" type of movie. And while I loved A simple Plan (by Sam Raimi), I just don't think this one quite achieves in replacing/follow in the steps of that movie, which is a shame.

But it still is enjoyable enough to like, especially Robin Williams is great in his role. The others play kind of by the numbers, but not that bad. It's just they don't deliver anything spectacular to the mix (in my eyes). It's also a shame that, the movie is quite predictable. If you've watched thrillers, at least one thriller, you know that nothing goes according to the/a plan. But it's a shame if you can smell or see where the whole thing is going. A few surprises do arise, but all in all it's mediocre, saved only by the bel ... I mean Williams performance! He's likable enough as main character for you to care for him ...

This movie can definitely been seen as a poor man's "Fargo". It uses similar settings, story and characters. It wouldn't however call "A Simple Plan" a rip off, although this movie perhaps shows a bit too many similarities at times, with its characters for instance. Biggest difference is that this movie is not as subtle as the earlier mentioned "Fargo", which is the reason why it's also not as good but the movie knows to be a pretty enjoyable one on its own right.

The movie features a good main plot about an average man who tries to scam an insurance company and collect on the life insurance of his 'death brother'. Of course he gets himself deeper and deeper into trouble, when the men who killed the man that the Robin Williams character used as the body of his 'death brother' show up and the insurance company investigator smell that something fishy is going on. On top of that he also has a wife who is on the brink of insanity. It's of course the kind of story that provides the movie with plenty of opportunities and potential to grow out into becoming a good fun movie. The movie also doesn't really fail in this but the story is perhaps also a bit too predictable to make this movie look like a clever and well thought out one.

This movie is in line with Robin Williams' more serious roles, of the past few years. Yes, this movie is still a comedy but it's not the type of comedy you would normally expect from a movie starring Robin Williams as the movie's main lead. He plays his role humble and restrained, even in the more comical parts, which helps to make his character more believable and easier to identify with. This of course also uplifts the movie as a whole. But perhaps the most surprising role is being played by Giovanni Ribisi. I even dare to say that he out-acts everyone within this movie. It was definitely the best role I've seen from him till date. The rest of the supporting cast is also impressive with actors such as Holly Hunter, Tim Blake Nelson (who both also appeared in Coen brother's movies. Coicidence?) and Woody Harrelson.

I just wished the style was a bit more coherent at times. At certain points the movie gets really silly with its comedy, which is not in the same line as the more subtle approach of the comedy and characters within most part of the movie. Other than that it's a well made movie, with a good overall style and way of story-telling.

Not a must-see but simply a good enjoyable movie, that will be worth your time.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The Big White has some high-powered actors: Holly Hunter, Robin Williams, Woody Harrelson, Giovanni Ribisi, Tim Blake Nelson and Alison Lohman. I'm usually hesitant to see movies with so many amazing actors... usually it means the budget was big enough to get all of them and the players barely hold the film's bad script afloat. Not so in this case! The fact that the Big White didn't have a major theatrical release is hard to comprehend. Seems like that happens to some of the best films... the ones that aren't full of cheap laughs and actually have developed characters.

The Big White has been compared to Fargo for its snow, death and money. Not a bad movie to be put alongside at all! It certainly was influenced by Fargo, but diverges from there. This film is less about greed and more about deep love (searching for it and nurturing existing love.) Holly Hunter is a beautifully nuanced character and made me crack up several times. Robin Williams is in top form, comic and deeply tragic. A great vehicle for emerging actress Alison Lohman. Giovanni Ribisi is brilliant. Even the smallest characters in The Big White are detailed. The film has a slower pace yet it is never boring. The camera- work is beautiful and the characters are so interesting that you want to know more about them, even in their quiet moments, which is when they shine the most.

The Big White, is by far one of the worst black comedies I have seen. Big name actors Robin Williams and Woody Harrelson suck you into seeing the movie, only to wish you could get that hour and forty minutes of your life back.

The first problem is the pacing is incredibly slow, very much like About Schmidt. Humor is spread thin like butter over too much bread, making a great movie to watch if you want to read a book at the same time. Combined with the film's pacing is the terrible soundtrack that is about enough to drive one's neurons into insanity. Lullably-like melodies really work to lull you into a near comatose state, and unfortunately the particularly sedating tracks occur during the very long and slow gaps between the few interesting parts of the movie.

About the only positive aspect I can see in this movie is that the acting is fairly well done, especially by Robins, Harrleson and Ribisi. Though they play their characters very well, the writing and development surrounding these characters is trite, making it impossible for the viewer to relate and form a connection. This leads to the problem with the overall plot not making the point it was after. This movie definitely had great potential to leave you with a great lesson in humanity (enough to fill you up like a steak dinner) combined with a few needed chuckles, but instead there is so little development and purpose that instead you get a bunch of crude and trivial humor and a completely lacking feeling of resolution at the end of the movie (feels like you ate something off a fast food dollar menu).

By all means, do not waste your time on this movie. Read a plot outline and find a far better piece of cinema to spend your hard earned dollars on.

What a pleasant surprise this film was for me. I ordered it via Video on Demand through the Time Warner cable system. They listed two cast members: Woody Harrelson and Alison Lohman. I love Alison (see Matchstick Men), so I decided to take a look.

Then, the opening credits begin and I see, Robin Williams, Holly Hunter, Giovanni Ribisi, and Tim Blake Nelson, and I think, Why haven't I heard of this film before?

Usually, before I order a movie with which I am not familiar, I go to IMDbPro to read a review or two. I chose not to do that this time. After seeing and enjoying the film so much, I looked at a couple of reviews and one person tore it up because it seemed to be too derivative of the Coen Brothers' work.

Ridiculous and Cynical nonsense.

All films made now are derived from other movies, or TV shows, or books. The story and the acting pulled me in and I enjoyed myself very much. I can see what the reviewer meant about the film having a Coen brothers feel, but so what.

Bravo to all involved.

northern accents, snow, quirky characters, money, greed, deception, black humor, so obvious comparisons to fargo. There was a great cast here and on paper this is a sleeper hit but there is a reason why movies like this are not released to mainstream audiences, its because they're rubbish. As usual at IMDb a misleading score and a vast number of top block reviews from all the people who probably love any indie low budget flick going. Don't be fooled, its not an awful film but despite the likes of robin williams, giovanni ribisi, harrelson, hunter etc, the movie never gets out of first gear due to a weak script and mediocre direction.