The real-life Big Year competition, on which this film is loosely based, is a race to see who can spot the most species of birds in North America duri¬ng a single calendar year. This reminds me of one of my favorite professors back in college who was an avid bird watcher. Because of my respect for the man, I conceded that there was probably something about birding that I had missed that made it worthwhile.
The three men starring in “The Big year” – Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson – are also avid birders in this film, but whatever it is that makes birding interesting certainly won’t be found in this movie. In fact, it might’ve been better to actually go bird watching than to watch this film on bird watching.
Owen Wilson’s Kenny is the reigning champion of the Big Year competition. To protect his title, he goes up against Jack Black’s Brad, and Steve Martin’s Stu. Kenny is so obsessed about holding his world record of 732 bird sightings that he risks his relationship with his wife and eventually resorts to cheating to get past Brad and Stu. Brad, on the other hand, is stuck in a rut personally and professionally. So, he sets out to be the best at something. In this case, it’s bird watching. Finally, Stu is a wealthy businessman close to retirement who sets out to fulfill a lifelong dream of – yes, that’s right – being the best bird watcher in the world.
During the competition, Stu and Brad team up to beat the cocky Kenny, and it becomes a three-way race for the world record. The race is reminiscent of the movie Rat Race but with much less character and effective comedy, and the three’s relationship with the movie Bucket List but without the lighthearted emotional impact. There’s just something about the writing and directing of this movie that just seemed to suck the life out Wilson’s, Black’s, and Martin’s characters.
The Big Year isn’t a bad movie, and it’s just not a good one either. The all-star casts’ performances are surprisingly bland. It’s funny, but not Jack Black-Owen Wilson-Steve Martin funny. If anything, it’s a nice kind of funny, but ultimately fails to deliver. To the film’s credit, however, there are some really great shots of birds throughout the race. But then again, this is a Hollywood movie and not a documentary, right?

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