BIG WHITE - DVD review

It's easy to see why people have been comparing "The Big White" to "Fargo." There are so many similarities that you begin to think screenwriter Collin Friesen and director Mark Myloo must be not-so-distant cousins to the Coen brothers.

Instead of frigid Minnesota, this film is set in frozen Alaska. Instead of a car salesman who's in desperate need of money, it's a travel agent named Paul Barnell (Robin Williams) feeling the repo men breathing down his neck. Both men's wives get kidnapped by a pair of two-bit hoodlums, and an investigator dogs the hapless hero in each film. In "Fargo," it's a pregnant police chief who's on the case. Here, it's an insurance investigator named Ted (Giovanni Ribisi) who's trying to save his company one MILLION dollars and earn a promotion back to the lower 48 (states). Just as Frances McDormand was worth the price of admission to "Fargo," Holly Hunter is the one who makes "The Big White" worth seeing over and over. She's hilarious as Barnell's wife Margaret, who may or may not have Tourette's syndrome, but definitely needs a vacation more than anyone else in their small Alaskan town. And in both films, a foolproof plan pretty much turns out to have the emphasis placed on "fool."

Although they're equally offbeat, "Fargo" is more subtle and complex, while "The Big White" goes for all-out black humor and lets the characters carry the load—free to act as wacky as a everyone suffering from Seasonal Affected Disorder seems capable of. Williams plays it pretty straight, though, saving his improv antics and voices for the outtakes and making-of feature. It's mostly deadpan and tongue-in-cheek, with him leaving the broader humor to Hunter.

Things get rolling when Paul goes to the insurance company to find out if he can collect on his brother's insurance policy, since brother Raymond (Woody Harrelson) hasn't been seen or heard from in five years. No, the suits tell him. Without a body, they can't really pay off. Later, when Paul finds a body that a couple of petty thugs tossed in the strip mall dumptster, he thinks it's his million-dollar ticket. The trouble is, the guy who put out the contract on the stiff wants to see proof of the hit, and so the thugs are looking for the body that Paul grabbed. And a foolproof plan goes even more awry when Raymond shows up and starts treating Paul the way he used to . . . which is to say, beating him to a bloody pulp. I won't spoil it by giving away any more of the plot, but the entire cast in this black ensemble comedy is fun to watch—especially William Merasty as Cam, who's the Native American understudy to top insurance investigator Ted. But Tim Blake Nelson and W. Earl Brown are also funny as the "gay mafia" hit men, while Alison Lohman is convincing as Ted's girl Tiffany, and Marina Stephenson Kerr does a decent job with a small role as the Barnell's survivalist neighbor.

"The Big White" was shot on location in Manitoba, and there are enough artsy shots to complement the offbeat plot and dramatic scenery. In fact, you know you're in for a stylish ride when the film opens on a pair of moccasins and pajamas that we see jogging erratically in the snow. Then the cameras pull way back for a long-distance shot where we can hardly even see what gender the runner is. Finally, the cameras cut in close to a shot of Mrs. Barnell, who, after the title sequence, collapses on the snowy road and is picked up by a law enforcement officer, "again." Even more interesting is that Myloo reversed the cinematic sequence for the very next scene, beginning with a faraway shot of pine trees and the town shot from overhead, then a tight shot of feet walking, and finally a standard shot to show who belongs to those feet. Frames shot at interesting angles are scattered throughout the film, and these artsy shots are complemented perfectly by a soundtrack that includes music by Eels, Bob Mothersbaugh, Buddy Stuart, Ramone Dowd, and James.

Don't think too much about the plot though, or you'll be like a salmon swimming against the current. "The Big White" is a dark-humored farce that's dependent upon a quick, domino-like chain of events pushing us toward the end. If you think too much, you'll start asking too many questions and miss the fun. Case in point? This whole Barnell brother relationship. Raymond simply brutalizes his brother, and Harrelson plays the part with "Heere's Johnny" relish, as if his model for the role was Jack Nicholson in "The Shining." But that kind of behavior, like Raymond himself, seems to come out of nowhere. That's probably the biggest distraction in the film, the piece of the offbeat puzzle that doesn't quite fit. And yet you can't fault Harrelson, because his performance is every bit as good as the rest. It's just a choice that was made, and I'm not sure it was the right one.

Video: It's not stated, but the anamorphic widescreen seems to be sized at around a 1.95:1 aspect ratio. The picture quality is great, especially with so much white, so much snow. Good color, good delineation, very little graininess.

Audio: Audio options are, surprisingly, DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. Both have a bright sound and a good mix on the ambient sounds, dialogue, and musical soundtrack. No complaints here.

Extras: This release is pretty light on the bonus features—meaning, there's only one. But thankfully that single extra is a good one. In an all-too-brief behind-the-scenes featurette, Williams is an absolute stitch. Whether we're hearing about how he signed autographs and told jokes all afternoon when they shot near a playground, or whether he's doing those talking heads interviews, there's always the chance that Williams can go off. And he usually does. In one memorable example, he starts off by talking seriously and intelligently about the film, and then smoothly slips into a Native American accent and starts doing Chief Dan George. It's a really enjoyable bonus feature because of Williams, but also because we're given a lot of insight and information in a relatively short feature.

Bottom Line: Though "The Big White" doesn't have the subtlety, complexity, and measured wit of "Fargo," and while it doesn't seem to say as much about the human condition, as a simple black comedy it's great fun.