Le grand Kahuna

This film was a David Mamet wanna-be. It lacks the twisted and subtle inter-personal relationships that would be necessary to bring life to an endlessly hard driving dialogue. This emptiness was emphasized by Kevin Spacey who is usually a master of this genre when backed up with the right script and direction. Consequence: this picture demanded my attention for no good reason. I'd give it a 6.

Some movies are little more than photographed stage plays. 'The Big Kahuna' is like that. Most of the scenes are set in one hotel room and only 4 people have any lines. It could be said that all they do is talk, philosophize, and soul-search in this film. So if what they talk about is interesting and moves you, then the movie works. With subject matter such as religion, friendship, finding a meaning in life, and even the art of salesmanship, the characters definitely have a lot to say. And they're pretty funny, even if the film is too tragic to be called a comedy. Bottom line is, I'll long remember Danny DeVito's touching, understated performance.

He and Kevin Spacey (Phil and Larry, respectively) play experienced industrial lubricant salesman who've been sent to a convention in Wichita. Accompanying the two longtime friends and colleagues is a young co-worker, Bob (Peter Facinelli). They're hosting a small party in their hospitality suite for the elusive Dick Fuller. This is a client who could conceivably make or break their careers, but might not even show up to talk biz. Fuller represents the title character, although you could also say the kahuna is God. The final third of the picture delves deeply into spiritual belief and the search for the man above. Facinelli is devout, Spacey is not, DeVito rides in the middle lane and tries to keep the peace.

Whether or not they actually make the big deal plays second fiddle to the give-and-take relationship of the 3 very different men. Spacey is as witty and smart as usual, but DeVito is the soul of 'The Big Kahuna'. He's been good before, but he's generally a comic actor. Here, he's the straight man. The writer and director (Roger Rueff and John Swanbeck, who've never made another film) know how to give Spacey his big scenes and they REALLY know how to let DeVito play everything in expressions and tone. The filmmakers aren't breaking new turf, but they let their excellent actors act. Even if this is just another verse in the 'Death Of A Salesman' song, DeVito's got the goods on Willy Loman.

"The Big Kahuna" proved to be one of the finest offerings that I was privy to at the Toronto International Film Festival this year. The expression "saving the best for last" applies strongly to this film. We were fortunate to have a Q&A after the film with Roger Rueff, the screenwriter of this eloquently written piece, John Swanbeck, the director enjoying all that a first timer could hope for from his debut, and the gifted actor Kevin Spacey, who starred in and produced the film.

This marvellous examination of three men of different age groups at a convention in Wichita also features the talents of Danny DeVito who apparently came to the production in the proverbial last minute. This film was shot in a very short sixteen days which comes as a surprise, despite it's one central location, as the dialogue is so strong. The best way to describe it is as almost poetic.

The script was adapted from the play "Hospitality Suite", also written by Rueff, who revealed in the Q&A that the story was based upon his own experiences at a sales convention long ago. But he assured us that his character of the young, impressionable, bible thumping "Bob" was not based on himself. Rueff also noted that with this being his first screenplay, he had worried about the horror stories he heard where scripts are butchered and transformed into things the writer never intended in many Hollywood productions. But in this case, he trusted the director and cast implicitly and was not disappointed in any way.

Kevin Spacey shines in this sneak peak behind the scenes of a sales convention where the future of a company lies squarely on the shoulders of three men in the pursuit of a big client. The president of another company represents the biggest potential account they will ever have. They exchange stories, accounts and personal philosophies and find how different they are from one another based on what they've been through.

The interaction between the three actors is mesmerizing. They take the audience into what feels like a true life account documented verbatim. To say more would spoil the outcome for those who've not yet had a chance to enjoy this film. It is my strong recommendation that all of those who have not, do so at their first available opportunity.

This refreshingly intelligent film delivers raw intellectual power by retaining the look and feel of the play from which it was adapted. The use of a single set and just three actors throws the emphasis entirely upon the in-depth character studies, the incisive dialogue and the actors' outstanding performances. It draws us into the lives of three seemingly ordinary guys at a convention whose interaction broaches questions that are nothing short of an examination of the meaning of life. The dialogue unabashedly strips the characters naked to show the ironies and hypocrisies inherent in their strategies for establishing meaning in the machinations of mundane lives. The laser sharp exchanges slash relentlessly at the souls of each, leaving none of the characters intact by the end of the film. And with each thrust, they drive another introspective probe deep into the psyche of the viewer.

The presentation reminded me a little of `Glengarry Glen Ross' with its theatrical feel and deep reflective tone, although this film was more confronting and less darkly despondent. Roger Roeff's penetrating script approaches the meaninglessness of life from three unique perspectives. We have Larry (Kevin Spacey) the seemingly superficial cynic who has far greater depth than he lets on and who uses his sardonic persona as a defense mechanism to hide his own fears. Phil (Danny DeVito) is the pragmatic but jaded salesman who is great at putting things in perspective for everyone but himself. Bob is the naïve young Christian zealot whose antidote for the futility of life is a strong dose of Jesus.

The juxtaposition of Larry the cynic and Bob the idealist makes for numerous thought provoking exchanges, especially when we learn that Phil (our mediator and voice of reason) is drowning in his own soul-searching quest for meaning. The story poses more questions than it does answers, and sputters a bit at the end, but overall it accomplishes its purpose of making the viewer ponder profundities easily ignored while in the pursuit of everyday priorities.

The acting was brilliant. Kevin Spacey gave what I thought was the best performance of his career. This was so much more interesting and meaty a character than he played in `American Beauty' that Spacey easily eclipsed even that outstanding performance. Larry was such a dynamic and complex character, that Spacey was able to open up the throttle and show us the full measure of his considerable talents. Likewise, Danny DeVito delivered a personal best in a serious dramatic role. His portrayal of the mediator who was trying to keep the peace while he was disintegrating inside was subtle and powerful. Peter Facinelli was also near perfect with an utterly believable and sincere performance as the pure hearted whelp whose heart was suffused with the Lord.

I rated this film a 9/10, but it requires a certain type of viewer to enjoy it. It is a very intellectual film, which precludes it from having much mass appeal. Action junkies will be bored to tears. However, for those who have a philosophical bent, this film will be highly satisfying.

The Big Kahuna

This three-character movie, based on the play by Roger Rueff, deals with salesmen who are somewhat impatiently waiting for a very important business client - a.k.a. The Big Kahuna - on whom the fortunes of their company rests. Should they land the contract with this mysterious bigwig, their company will prosper. If they don't land the contract, of course, then they're all sunk.

Larry (Kevin Spacey) and Phil (Danny DeVito) are the salesmen, and Bob (Peter Facinelli) is the marketing guy. Bob's a rookie, and Larry and Phil try to prep him for handling himself with potential customers. They've rented the hospitality suite in the hotel to entertain their clients and are planning on having a small party, hoping that the Big Kahuna will show up. No, it's not Waiting for Godot, but it's along those lines.

This is basically a character study. There's a lot of dialog - virtually the entire movie takes place in the suite, with only a few very minor scenes outside it - and each word is absolutely dripping with meaning. There aren't any throwaway lines in this movie, folks. Most movies contain generic lines that would fit in any similar movie. Not this one. If you're a fan of well-written movies, this is a prime example of how one should be constructed.

But with such an emphasis on the dialog, there's naturally little action. This is always a problem with movies based on plays. They come off restrained, stagey, and claustrophobic. But the lack of action actually gives the viewer the opportunity to watch two decidedly different acting styles. Spacey is bombastic, punctuating each syllable with a sneer or a rant. DeVito, on the other hand, is more reserved and appears wizened as a result. Each actor turns in a stunning performance, with Spacey basically reprising the role he played in Glengarry Glen Ross. The only one who seems out of place is Facinelli, who is ineffective as Bob the marketing guy.

The Big Kahuna is compelling, as long as you don't mind talky comedy-dramas.