THE BIG YEAR ★★★ Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Jack Black; PG (language, some sensuality); in general release
Everyone has expectations when it comes to movies they see advertised. When those expectations are met, the moviegoer has a pleasant experience. When those expectations are surpassed, it is a great experience. But when those expectations are changed, it can be a unique experience.
That could be your experience if you see "The Big Year." What is a big year? It is a competition among birders to see who can spot or hear the most bird species in one calendar year. This does happen in real life. In the film, Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) holds the record for most birds spotted in one year, 732. Kenny is ruthless when it comes to his record; he wants to be known as the best birder ever.
Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) is a wealthy self-made businessman who is retiring for the third time to try to complete a big year. Brad Harris (Jack Black) is a computer geek but also wants to make his mark in the birding world, and he's saved $5,000 to do it.
Stu and Brad are trying to accomplish a personal goal, but they don’t want Kenny to know, so they keep it a secret from him and all the other birders. Eventually their secret gets out and the competition is on.
The three actors in this movie are great comedic actors. They can also do raunchy comedy very well, and you might think teaming them up would result in such a movie. That is the biggest surprise of this film: It is rated PG. It is good to see a comedy that does not have to be one of those “who can be raunchier” films that have been made recently.
Not only is this film pretty clean, but it is funny and tells a good story. The path that each character takes is wonderful to watch and can be a surprise when it reaches its conclusion. Each character's “epiphany” is wonderful to see.
Even though this is PG, it's not completely clean. There are a couple of scenes with some language, but only one word is used. One of the actors also uses some sign language that could be considered offensive. The other questionable scene involves couple being amorous in their bedroom, which stops when one of them decides to leave. On a positive note, this movie shows fidelity in a marriage.
This film may not be as funny as you might hope, but the story is engaging. Following the competition becomes fun and you may just root for all of them by the end of it. You do find out the winner of the competition. Another plus in this film is beautiful scenery: Some of the shots are breathtaking. The best surprise of the film, though, could be just how human a story about birding can be. That’s where your expectations may be changed.
Shawn O'Neill is the Family Man Movie Reviewer on BYU Radio. His reviews can be heard on BYURadio.org and on SiriusXM Channel 143.