The Big Fall

I got this movie as part of a 10-movie DVD collection at Walmart because we like love to watch them and make fun of the horrible ones. After sitting through several of those crapfests, I figured this would be the same. I was wrong. This was actually probably the best movie in the collection.

The PROS: It was directed well; Howell has an eye for intrigue and action. My favorite thing about this movie is the way Howell and the production team melded the aesthetic and feel of a 40's noir flick with its contemporary environment; it didn't feel out of place or forced. It's like Howell was wise enough to know he didn't have the budget to pull off a full blown, believable 1940's detective movie so he blurred the lines and gave us a very clean and exciting picture. Now THAT'S good film making!

The CONS: The only thing that kept pulling me out of the story was how much Howell resembled Jim Carey from 'Dumb and Dumber'. It was also kinda difficult for me to buy into the idea of baby-faced Howell being this tough-as-nails, rough and tumble private eye. But, he does get his a$$ kicked enough to offset that notion and make it a bit more believable.

PM was best known for making hyper-action movies, though occasionally they would try something different, in this case tackling the hard-boiled detective drama. The screenplay (by PM regular screenwriter William Applegate) seems to have been written to be more or less straight, with occasional bursts of comic relief. However, it becomes an unintentional comedy for much of its running time because of C. Thomas Howell. Looking here very much like Jim Carrey in DUMB AND DUMBER, Howell is a howl, gnashing his teeth and trying to act tough and spout out hard-boiled narration. (And dressing in a trenchcoat and hat, even though the story takes place in the present day!) If Howell was intending this to be a spoof of the genre, he needed to know that in satire, less is often more.

A much better performance can be seen with Jeff Kober, who manages to be pretty creepy and menacing without the screenplay giving him much to do. The screenplay also doesn't give us much sense, with plot details and incidental actors equally murky at times. Howell's directing is more competent than his acting, boasting some impressive shots and a few not-bad scenes, though he proves to be helpless at this point at directing action scenes. He might even pull off his next (if ever) directing effort, if he first puts in a lot of preparation and gives up some creative control.

Blaise Rybeck, (C Thomas Howell) plays the role as a private eye in California and business is not very good, his American Express card is not being paid and business is slow. However, one day a sexy blonde gal, Emma Roussell, (Sophie Ward) walks into his office and asks Blaise if he will investigate her missing brother who was a pilot and his body has not been found. Blaise starts his investigation and runs into a few wild bungee jumping guys who he believes are involved with the missing brother he is looking for. Blaise jumps off bridges to prove he is like this group of guys and seeks to obtain as much information from them as possible. The FBI gets involved with this case and this turns the entire direction of the picture with car chases, romantic scenes between Emma and Blaise and plenty of beatings and torture. Enjoy

This movie started out great, very Sam Spade, very pulp fiction, on the order of the 30s-50s stories penned by Raymond Chandler and others. Unfortunately, the story couldn't keep up the pace and the tone changed drastically to a 90s chase/shooter. Not to say that this movie isn't worth watching. That said, Mr. Howell has potential, obviously as an actor, and does a good job as an initial directing effort. Sophie Ward is wonderful as the client/seductress.

"The Big Fall" 1997 Straight to Video R 1h 30m.

It was released direct to video on October 14, 1997, having previously aired on HBO in April 1997.

Interesting side note, C Thomas Howell directs this as well as acting in it. That ain't easy. On top of that, Howell is an excellent actor. Waaaay better than Bruce Willis.

Sophie Ward plays Emma Roussell, the slinky, sultry, femme fatale. She speaks slowly and deliberately in that manner that inflames a boy's passions. She even makes smoking a cigarette a sexual experience.

Some like to call it film noir. I just like to think of this genre as, seedy PI. You know the ones. Seedy office. Rumpled suit. Bottle of whiskey in the bottom desk drawer. Hero gets beat up a lot.

There is a lot witty tough-guy banter and gritty narration in a silly Bogart-esque style. I think it is that narrating that sets the film noir / PI movies apart from other movies. Remember the Spillane movies with Stacey Keach? Or, the Baretta TV Series with Robert Blake?

If you've never heard of this one before, it's a really good movie. But then, I like seedy PI movies. It has an interesting, and original story. William Applegate Jr. Wrote the screenplay. He wrote many, including, "L. A. Heat" 1996.

That wailing trumpet with a mute, swirls throughout the whole movie. I love it. Again setting the mood for the seedy PI movie.

Are you ready for this. Noflicks does not carry this one! LMAO What a shocker. I wore out my VHS copy, and had to buy a DVD copy in order to watch it every so often.

The Bushwacker 12/21/2021.