The Big Year

Name: The Big Year
Genre: Comedy
Released: October 14, 2011
Rating: 53

2011

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 54 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 54 Ratings

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The Big Year

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox 2000 Pictures | Release Date: October 14, 2011 | PG-13

Summary: Based on Mark Obmascik's 1998 book "The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession," the film is about three men who try to outdo each other in a bird-watching competition to spot the rarest birds in North America. The rivalry is an allegory for the challenges each faces in his own life. (20th Century Fox)

Director: David Frankel

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: PG-13

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Critic Reviews

Steve Persall

Oct 16, 2011

Frankel's movie is as refreshing as a walk in the woods and surprising as a chance encounter with the best that nature can offer. Read full review

Movieline Alison Willmore

Oct 13, 2011

Genial and mild, The Big Year doesn't give in to the temptation to juice up its story with outsized caricatures or inflated dramas. Read full review

Betsy Sharkey

Oct 13, 2011

If you're in the mood for some feathery fluff of the happy-sappy-and-not-wholly-unpleasant sort and need a break from snark, there is The Big Year. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Oct 14, 2011

This one could have flown over the cuckoo's nest, or smacked into a glass pane, but instead lands in the middle of the road where quirky and popular meet. Read full review

Joe Williams

Oct 14, 2011

The Big Year puts the focus on people who aren't inherently interesting - or funny. Read full review

Amy Biancolli

Oct 13, 2011

Those who should go near The Big Year, if not flock to it, are fans of avians, mild PG comedy and gorgeously shot travel footage dotted with humans. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

Oct 13, 2011

Why does The Big Year's trailer intentionally hide what the film is really about? Here's why: Because bird-watching - or birding, as practitioners prefer to call it - makes for a stupefyingly boring movie. Read full review

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User Reviews

iokuok2iok

Sep 7, 2013

This movie is soooooo underrated!!! One of the best movie surprises I've bumped into in I don't even know how long. I picked up the 5$ special at Walmart thinking oh gee some slapstick comedy to kick it on a Friday evening. I was sooooo surprised. This is brilliant. It's beyond brilliant.This movie is soooooo underrated!!! One of the best movie surprises I've bumped into in I don't even know how long. I picked up the 5$ special at Walmart thinking oh gee some slapstick comedy to kick it on a Friday evening. I was sooooo surprised. This is brilliant. It's beyond brilliant. I'll bet half of the reviewers didn't even "get" what they were doing with this movie, because they don't particularly "get" into nature. --Take another look; there's more than just nature going on if you watch carefully! Delicate satirical reference and parallels just out of reach of the obvious and beautifully executed. The bargain basement DVD comes with a great "extended cut". I just regret there isn't some "behind the scenes" takes on it as well.
The scenery is gorgeous, the clever expose unveils soooo much more than the simple plot. Now that the movie is showing up in the Wal-Mart bins, this movie deserves resurrection. As another reviewer noted, there's no blood and guts, steamy sex, guns, money heists, violence, or language. What's left? I'll tell you: something genuinely new and creative. Give this movie another look! Its one of the most intelligent works out of Hollywood in a long long time. The acting could not be better by three of the best of the best at the top of their own game! Of course these guys slipped in some double tongue humor for the quick minded. Pay attention! Many stars and all thumbs up on this one!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Prantare

Mar 31, 2012

Underrated movie.
I kinda recognized myself in all of the characters and in the end I felt a feeling I've never felt before watching a movie. I was humbled and feeling nostalgic in some crazy way.
I am not interested in birds at all but this movie was amazingly well shot, well directed andUnderrated movie.
I kinda recognized myself in all of the characters and in the end I felt a feeling I've never felt before watching a movie. I was humbled and feeling nostalgic in some crazy way.

I am not interested in birds at all but this movie was amazingly well shot, well directed and also the story was quite nice. I also felt as if the movie was really unique. However, it is not a comedy, it is more like a happy drama. During the whole movie I was afraid of certain things happening and the director fulfilled every wish and at the same time making it all so exciting. Great movie! And very beutiful scenes!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

DeniseIsGreat

Oct 24, 2011

I thought the Big Year was great! Story was really well written, acted and directed. Subtle, adult humor - not the nonsense written for 12 year olds (no offense to 12 year olds). The characters were well drawn and likable. What a great cast - I love Jack Black best when he's not stuck inI thought the Big Year was great! Story was really well written, acted and directed. Subtle, adult humor - not the nonsense written for 12 year olds (no offense to 12 year olds). The characters were well drawn and likable. What a great cast - I love Jack Black best when he's not stuck in slapstick, silly comedies. He's got an emotive face and deeper acting ability than he's ever given a chance to showcase in some of the more shallow comedies into which the industry has niched him. If you ever saw his first hit - High Fidelity with John Cusack - then you know exactly what we've been missing from him in the last several years. Steve Martin is the subtle gem that I like best - similar to recent role in "It's Complicated." Owen Wilson was great as well. They're all funny guys and don't have to try hard to be likable or humorous here. I'm completely bewildered that this movie hasn't done better at box office. Everyone in my theater seemed to really enjoy it. I think they just promoted it badly - they gave fans the expectation of another obvious comedy instead of a movie done with more sophisticated humor than your average 12 year old is interested in, so the wrong people went to see it and the right audience has stayed away.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Knicksfan7

Oct 25, 2011

I went in with low expectations and walked out shocked from the disappointment with the box office. I found this movie delightful. It was fun and adventurous. They shouldve promoted this movie better. Some comedic lines here and there and a great, wonderful story. I never had too big of anI went in with low expectations and walked out shocked from the disappointment with the box office. I found this movie delightful. It was fun and adventurous. They shouldve promoted this movie better. Some comedic lines here and there and a great, wonderful story. I never had too big of an interest in birds but wow are there alot of categories of birds. This movie was very interesting. With powerhouses like jack black, owen wilson, and steve martin and this movie only made 3 mil opening weekend? Thats shocking. If you enjoy a heartwarming film with a powerful cast you must see this movie. You wont regret it. 8/10… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Tokyochuchu

Apr 21, 2013

The Big Year was a pretty great film. It was subtle, bittersweet and unpredictable. I expected the usual Hollywood rom-com slapstick farce and was pleasantly surprised. Great stuff.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

calhounite

Nov 15, 2014

Martin's a great actor, sure wish I could have seen it. But kept thinking about how many times I would have gone bankrupt (about 500 - 600) and how many jobs I would have lost (about 1200-1500) during just ONE year.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

corc79

Feb 2, 2012

I an truly amazed that this pantload of a movie got a single score above a zero. The only way that's possible is if those reviewers happen to be one of these weird "birding" nerds. To be perfectly honest, we felt completely ripped off by the false advertising of this piece of crap. In theI an truly amazed that this pantload of a movie got a single score above a zero. The only way that's possible is if those reviewers happen to be one of these weird "birding" nerds. To be perfectly honest, we felt completely ripped off by the false advertising of this piece of crap. In the previews, in every single interview with the cast, there wasn't one mention of a bird or "birding" in any capacity...it was made to look like something similar to The Bucket List, with the cast doing a bunch of crazy things over a year. NOT WATCHING FREAKING BIRDS! Maybe not the worst movie ever, but surely in the top 10, and definitely the most dissapointing I have ever seen. I can't for the life of me figure out why any of those guys would ever even consider doing this movie. Anyone who rated this above a zero has been eating way too many retard sandwiches...… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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