Big Night

Lovely film with great acting and clever screenplay. Ian Holm's performance is particularly impressive and like nothing he's done before. Tucci is also good to watch and engaging throughout. All this means the slightly thin plot does not detract from the film's overall feeling and entertainment values.

This is what would be produced if a lot of undergraduate film students formed a committee, but forgot to have someone for the soundtrack and the pace.

It feels very amerterish with silly style changes that dont impress, just shows that they could not get the other bits right.

Pathetic character and plot cues.

there's another evening that I could have better spent watching rolling news.

Like a good meal Big Night is an never jarring blend of different textures and approaches which come together to form an infinitely satisfying whole. Layered like a lasagne with a myriad of different relationships and ideas.

These range from the purely dramatic, as one brother struggles to marry his need for financial survival against the other's ideals of culinary dignity; to the cultural, in the film's critiquing of America's so called 'melting pot' as it becomes clear to both brothers the only way their culture will be accepted is in a unrecognisably diluted and banal form (the spaghetti doesn't come with meatballs?).

Yet the film is stuffed with more than enough comedy and genuine affection that these serious ideas never make it a difficult watch. Particularly of note in supporting cast is Ian Holm's rival restaurant owner who somehow manages to be vile and charming in equal measure and Allison Janney's impossibly sweet and warm flouriest.

If I had to criticise Big Night I'd argue that Tony Shalhoub's performance occasionally boarders on Italian caricature. But as stated, it does only occasionally boarder on this, and at its height is just as magnetic and deft as the other principal performances turned in by Stanley Tucci, Minnie Driver and Isabella Rossellini which compliment Tucci and Scott’s imaginative but sensitive direction perfectly.

And on a personal note, all that food looks amazing. Mmmmm!

A fabulous and engaging entertainment.

Particularly If you have ever cooked for a living.

Full marks from an obviously biased viewer!

Overall this film left me feeling there could have been more. I guess the relationship between the two brothers is the main focus but you're never quite sure who is good and who is bad. The title kind of gives the plot away but even so there could have been more. Why did each of the characters behave as they did - We never seem to find out. Each seems to have a valid part to play and yet they all makes strange decisions at times. I wouldn't rush to get this.