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.
Review of The Big White
