The Big White (2005)

Better Late Then Never

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Robin Williams and Holly Hunter made a great suspense flick. Who and why dunnit never takes second place to the implied corruption--murdering someone for the insurance is, I think, against the law. The premise is outrageous, they never really disclose why the brother (?) was killed in the first place. Why did Paul Barnell (Robin Williams) open that dumpster? Luck? Did he know or suspect there might be a body? Somehow, as I watched the film, I was under the impression that the body was one of Barnell's brother. Barnell's other brother, Raymond Barnell (Woody Harrelson) almost gets himself shot by Paul Barnell in what can only be called hilarious shtick. In the end, Paul doesn't kill his brother Raymond, but as the film unfolds, the viewer soon learns why Paul wanted so desperately to kill Raymond.In the end, everybody gets what's coming, and they can share the loot. For a dark comedy, it was funny; well acted by everybody. (But then these guys get paid for being good actors.) It is an underrated movie and a dismissed or even lost classic out of the tradition of the Coen Brothers. The movie was directed by Mark Myloid.

Robin Williams is an Alaskan travel agent, Paul Barnell, who is trying to bank on his brother's life insurance policy but he's not dead just away. When he stumbles upon a dead body, he uses the corpse to bank upon his brother's insurance policy only his brother Raymond (played by Woody Harrelson shows up) and his wife played by Holly Hunter gets kidnapped by the men who are looking for the corpse. Giovanni Ribisi plays the insurance agent who is unwilling to break his suspicions about Barnell's claim and refuses to pay it. As the film begins, he catches an insurance fraud on tape. His live in girlfriend plays a phone psychic in small town Alaska. Granted, Alaska is known for it's cold harsh winters. I visited Skagway, Alaska a year after they filmed this movie. Skagway is a popular cruise day spot for most of the major cruise ships in the Inside Passage. Too bad, the snow didn't do it justice. Skagway is also one of the gold miner's town. Still, the film is more a reminder of Fargo.

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.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

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!