Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:47
Big Bounce, The
THE BIG BOUNCE
US, 2004, 87 minutes, Colour.
Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Sinise, Sara Foster, Charlie Sheen, Bebe Neuwirth, Willie Nelson, Harry Dean Stanton.
Directed by George Armitage.
Elmore Leonard is one of my favourite crime-writers. He has a skill in communicating heroism in characters who could be considered deadbeat. He creates kookie supporting characters. And, he writes with great deadpan wit. I can’t speak for him here, but I would be very surprised if he liked or even approved of this version of one of his earliest novels. It was actually filmed in the late 60s with Ryan O’ Neal but did not set the box-office alight. Nor this time. The ingredients are there, the sketch of the characters, Leonard-like situations on the edge of morality and the law. But the hard-boiled wit is missing, except perhaps in the performance of the always reliable Morgan Freeman.
The central character is played by Owen Wilson who as been very amusing in a lot of films. Here he makes you realise that he is giving the same drawly, seemingly lame-brain, good-natured but narcissistic performance that he gave in Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights, Starsky and Hutch, Around the World in Eighty Days, I Spy and Meet the Parents, that this is one and only Owen Wilson performance.
The supporting cast looks good on paper, Gary Sinise, Bebe Neuwirth, Charlie Sheen, Willie Nelson, Harry Dean Stanton, Vinnie Jones, but they really haven’t got much to do.
Little bounce and not so big either. Better to look at director George Armitage’s tough Florida thriller, Miami Blues, again.
1. An entertaining confidence trick and heist thriller? Comedy? Light – even trite?
2. The Hawaiian settings, the ocean, the beaches, the resorts, mansions, hotels? Prison? The musical score?
3. The title, its reference to confidence tricks, the resilience of the characters?
4. The film as an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel, Leonard’s reputation, capacity for writing skills, characters? This film as a thin outline of his work?
5. Jack, his story? The clashes on the building site? The indigenous protests, Ray Ritchie and his wanting people out? The clash with Harris, hitting him with the baseball bat? His going to jail, the policeman keeping his harmonica? His first meeting with the judge, Walter giving him a chance? Giving him a job, his watering the garden, fixing the showers? His seeing Nancy, infatuated, watching her walk along the beach? The irony that this was all a set-up to entrap him?
6. Jack as a character, breaking and entering, his friendship with Frank, going into the house with the beer, stealing the money? Wanting to give up? The rendezvous with Nancy? Her luring him into another job? The sexual relationship? Bob Junior and his threats? Ray and his criticisms and wanting Jack out? The continued support of Walter and his friends?
7. The plan, the involvement of everyone, the audience not knowing? Jack, Frank wanting him to get money for him and joining in the robbery? The return of Ray with his wife, her bitchiness, her shopping, drinking? The irony of her being in league with Nancy? With Walter? The poisoning of Ray, the shooting of Frank instead of Jack? Walter and his reactions, Alison and her drinking? The continued change of plan?
8. Walter, his place on the island, as a judge , his relationship with Alison, setting up the heist? The antagonism towards Ray? Nancy and her antagonism towards Ray, her having to go out the back door as Alison came in? The irony of Alison’s stance? Bob Junior and his naivety, thinking he had a relationship with Nancy, her going backwards and forwards between him and Jack? His reform and the pressure from his wife?
9. The robbery itself, the safe, Nancy opening it, Jack with the money? Frank and his being wounded? The irony of the happy ending?
10. Jack, picking up Nancy on the road, their discussion, his love for her – but not following through? His going off with the girl from number 9?
11. The Elmore Leonard ingredients – simplified for a brief and easy comic caper film?