Big Nothing (2006)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Idrees K

  
  Well-acted with a driven, entertaining plot and just plain hilarious. I approve

• Dead A

  
  Not that funny but was enjoyable.

• Adam M

  
  Gets a lot into its 85 minutes, and the animation and split screens even work well to set the tone of a fast-moving novella on the screen. It's a thriller, a pretty original one, about 3 people in it together who have to admit they don't know each other at all but have… More
  Gets a lot into its 85 minutes, and the animation and split screens even work well to set the tone of a fast-moving novella on the screen. It's a thriller, a pretty original one, about 3 people in it together who have to admit they don't know each other at all but have linked their fates. Big Nothing would have been a league better if the writer-director stayed close to this theme, filling in the details of the plot from the first hour-- with the characters' taking in the gravity of their choices. The plot swings for the fences and then runs the bases carefully, keeping a feeling of plausible cause-and-effect until the last 20 minutes where the prospect of a second serial killer feels like a mangled O'Henry touch. This undercuts a thriller which had distinguished itself by balancing comedy and suspense exactly right, so you could believe what was happening in each category was not there for comic relief or to keep an audience from getting bored. The three leads are all good, and two have avoided big pitfalls. Schwimmer plays his role with agility to not sink like a sad sack, and Simon Pegg, with his hard-to-place American accent, seems like a familiar and unwicked type of person no matter how much his motives are revealed. For an English movie shot by a French director in Canada and Wales, the setting seems American enough, an updating of Jim Thompson's world to include most of a small town employed at a call center. And the characters here are all smarter than you would think if you tried to look at them only through the surroundings where each has immediately put themselves; this is also a very American thing that Brits don't usually get.

• Lady D

  
  This film has been compared to Fargo and if you're a fan of Fargo, I agree with what has been said and that this film will probably appeal to your humour. A likeable Independent black comedy, which I feel could really grow on you with each viewing. Schwimmer and Pegg team… More
  This film has been compared to Fargo and if you're a fan of Fargo, I agree with what has been said and that this film will probably appeal to your humour. A likeable Independent black comedy, which I feel could really grow on you with each viewing. Schwimmer and Pegg team up to make a good pairing here and the forever growing problems that occur throughout the story are certainly worth raising a chuckle for.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  DAVID SCHWIMMER, SIMON PEGG, ALICIA EVE, NATASCHA MCELHONE, MIMI ROGERS, JON POLITO Charlie is an ex-teacher turned reluctant call center employee who gets fired on the first day. Distraught on being unable to provide for his daughter Emily and cop wife, Penelope, he is suddenly… More
  DAVID SCHWIMMER, SIMON PEGG, ALICIA EVE, NATASCHA MCELHONE, MIMI ROGERS, JON POLITO Charlie is an ex-teacher turned reluctant call center employee who gets fired on the first day. Distraught on being unable to provide for his daughter Emily and cop wife, Penelope, he is suddenly contacted by Gus, an aspiring scam artist who presents Charlie with a seemingly snag-free plan to make some cash: Blackmail Reverend Smalls a man of the cloth, who's frequently turned up in the company database of visitors to illegal porn-sites. Gus plans on extorting Reverend Smalls, with the intention of publicly exposing his secret shame, should he refuse, with this scandal potentially destroying the man's career. Normally cautious Charlie, is keen on participating in this scam, confident that with this money maker he'll garner from the deal and will finally help turn things around for him and his family. Joined by one-time teenage pageant queen Josie McBroom Gus's ex, the plan goes ahead...but it all goes wrong as Reverend Smalls dies...thanks to this trio, with this only being the start of their troubles. Great comedy, with a lot of twists and turns and laughter throughout the entire film. Never know who is telling the truth, or what is going to happen next. David Schwimmer and Simon Pegg were great together. Movie is definitely not boring, but it really doesn't give you a chance to be. Just when you think you know how it's going to end, another twisting surprise happens and your on a new path. It was just a fun movie with some really quirky characters. Some may not like how many times the story changes and the directions it takes, but I thought it was a lot different then most films and that it kept it interesting. So in closing, this movie takes you on a ride of twists and turn with some laughs along the way. A fun watch.

• Ken S

  
  Meh...

• Film C

  
  Strangely weird but enjoyable little black comedy really! Although this movie is pretty damn predictable and obvious the talented Shwimmer and Pegg brought fantastic and hilarious performances to the movie! So its differnatly worth a watch! Shwimmer plays a man who is unemployed… More
  Strangely weird but enjoyable little black comedy really! Although this movie is pretty damn predictable and obvious the talented Shwimmer and Pegg brought fantastic and hilarious performances to the movie! So its differnatly worth a watch! Shwimmer plays a man who is unemployed and desperate for money and when he finally gets a job at a call centre he meets a guy (pegg) who can solve all of his problems by doing a scam, through a hilarious and real problem with problems arriving left right and centre you find out is anyone truly to be trusted? A nice black comedy to watch just keep in mind that the story and plot arent that brilliant but is enjoyable!

• Candy R

  
  A plot of blackmail turns into a killing spree. Dark comedy with David Schwimmer and Simon Pegg.

• Jani H

  
  A darker comedy starring "Ross Geller" and "Shaun". An odd couple in other words. They manage to do a decent job but as the movie is advertised as a comedy, I can't honestly say that I laughed watching it. "Holy Moly!" The cinematography has some… More
  A darker comedy starring "Ross Geller" and "Shaun". An odd couple in other words. They manage to do a decent job but as the movie is advertised as a comedy, I can't honestly say that I laughed watching it. "Holy Moly!" The cinematography has some strange split screen scenes that feel very weird. Some of the small screens are made in a fine "A Scanner Darkly" animated style. The film has too many plot twists so in the end "Big Nothing" drowns in its own cleverness. Some good dialogue here and there but the film is also too inconsistent.

• Arash X

  
  Fun & funny somehow stupid but that's ok, Not very similar but it kinda reminded me of Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave

• Nicki M

  
  This movie was all over the place. When it started, it seemed like it was going to be a good comedy, but it was pretty much downhill from there. I don't know if it was trying to be a black comedy, a thriller or what. The acting was okay, but I still wouldn't recommend it… More
  This movie was all over the place. When it started, it seemed like it was going to be a good comedy, but it was pretty much downhill from there. I don't know if it was trying to be a black comedy, a thriller or what. The acting was okay, but I still wouldn't recommend it or bother watching it again.

• Roy G

  
  Tense, cruel and hilariously absurd all at once, it may, as its title suggests, not add up to so very much, but it is a deliciously entertaining journey into the night which, at under 90 minutes, never overstays its welcome.

• James A

  
  A surprisingly good movie.

• Luke B

  
  A very dark and depressing comedy with many a laugh. Not being a fan of SImon Pegg I was pleasently surprised that he didn't annoy me so much. Schwimmer was very good even if he was pretty much Ross from Friends. A bit too short to really get going and many plot holes and… More
  A very dark and depressing comedy with many a laugh. Not being a fan of SImon Pegg I was pleasently surprised that he didn't annoy me so much. Schwimmer was very good even if he was pretty much Ross from Friends. A bit too short to really get going and many plot holes and conveniences also litter the script. Overall an enjoyable (if you like dark) waste of 80 odd minutes.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Big Nothing," Charlie(David Schwimmer) is an overeducated, underemployed writer who in order to help support his family, takes a job at the sixth level of hell, otherwise known as a call center, but does not make it through the day without being… More
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Big Nothing," Charlie(David Schwimmer) is an overeducated, underemployed writer who in order to help support his family, takes a job at the sixth level of hell, otherwise known as a call center, but does not make it through the day without being fired. That night, while commiserating over drinks, Charlie's new friend, Gus(Simon Pegg), hatches a plot to blackmail a reverend who likes child pornography. They are joined in their scheming by Josie(Alice Eve), a slightly underage waitress who used to be Miss Teen Oklahoma. And Charlie agrees to the plan, even though his wife, Penny(Natascha McElhone) is the local police detective.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Of course you know everything does not go as planned...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Big Nothing" is an amusing caper comedy that suffers from an unappealing David Schwimmer in the lead, but Simon Pegg and Alice Eve pick up the slack nicely. The movie is unpredictable(most of the twists are due to criminal stupidity and a very small town) but does not really come together until it gets truly serious towards the end. Scattered throughout, there are religious themes, especially where temptation is concerned . And it should be noted that Charlie may be out to prove himself since his wife supports their family by working in a mostly male profession. [/font]

• Jeffrey M

  
  An interesting premise and promising start, but ultimately the film unravels into a mess. The script mistakes absurd twist after absurd twist as clever, while it's actually cheap and distracting. Laughs are to be had, but are too few and far between the rest of the material which… More
  An interesting premise and promising start, but ultimately the film unravels into a mess. The script mistakes absurd twist after absurd twist as clever, while it's actually cheap and distracting. Laughs are to be had, but are too few and far between the rest of the material which tries desperately to be a witty black comedy, but doesn't make it.

• Leo L

  
  An interesting movie that centralizes around three quirky individuals who are looking to better their chances in life. Charlie, Gus, and Josie devise a plan that would enable them to find a better way of living by blackmailing a significant individual of the community for money.… More
  An interesting movie that centralizes around three quirky individuals who are looking to better their chances in life. Charlie, Gus, and Josie devise a plan that would enable them to find a better way of living by blackmailing a significant individual of the community for money. Awesome music. Great cast- David Schwimmer, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, Natascha McElhone, Jon Polito, and Mimi Rogers. Worthy!

• Marion R

  
  I just watched this because of Simon Pegg. I thought it was interesting, I did find it funny. It's a watch for a Saturday morning, I enjoyied watching it.

• Doctor S

  
  Diverting little movie with more twists than a Chubby Checker concert which in fact hamper the story as eventually they feel artificially inserted just for the sake of having twists. Their surprise factor diminishes drastically once you realize there will be another just around the… More
  Diverting little movie with more twists than a Chubby Checker concert which in fact hamper the story as eventually they feel artificially inserted just for the sake of having twists. Their surprise factor diminishes drastically once you realize there will be another just around the corner. Strange to hear Simon Pegg using an American accent.

• Jason R

  
  Pretty good dark comedy, it was really weird listening to Simon Pegg with an American accent though, but I actually really enjoyed this, worth a look.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings