The film is based on the first novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry and follows a chain of events inspired by the arrival of a mysterious suitcase in Miami. A corrupt business owner, Arthur Herk (Stanley Tucci), wants the case, but two useless hitmen (Dennis Farina and Jack Kehler) want him dead. Herk’s wife Anna (Rene Russo) and daughter Jenny (Zooey Deschanel), are tired of his fixation with drinking and television so they find new love interests in divorced dad Eliot Arnold (Tim Allen) and his son Matt (Ben Foster). To further complicated matters, two knuckleheaded crooks (Tom Sizemore and Johnny Knoxville) steal the case and lead a Miami police team (Janeane Garofalo and Patrick Warburton, Seinfeld’s Puddy) and two FBI agents (Dwight “Heavy D” Myers and Omar Epps) on a wild goose chase that ends inside the airport terminal.
This coveted suitcase initially works to the film’s advantage, serving as a McGuffin an object that is important to the characters but is of little interest to the audience. Because of all the fuss being made over the case, Big Trouble approaches something palatable as a dark (very dark) comedy. But later, when the contents inside are revealed, the McGuffin now becomes important to us. From that point forward, Big Trouble looses what little sense of humor it had and quickly turns offensive.
With Big Trouble, director Barry Sonnenfeld tries to relive the success of his previous ensemble piece Get Shorty by returning cast members Russo and Farina and giving it the same look, feel, and direction as its predecessor. However, with all of its plot absurdities, Big Trouble dwarfs the tremendous potential for these stars to have a chance of displaying any real comedic synergy. Their talents are a complete waste on this film.
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