Big Nothing DVD Review

"Big Nothing" reviews

DVD

Big Nothing

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-04-18 15:00:14

Provider

DVD Review

Big Nothing combines neo-noir-ish thriller with loser comedy and knowing that the stars are Shaun Of The Dead's Simon Pegg and former Friends man David Schwimmer, it's not surprising that it leans more towards the latter.

Set in Oregon, but filmed in Canada, Wales and the Isle Of Man, it stars Schwimmer as Charlie, an unemployed teacher who becomes embroiled in events way beyond his reach, as revealed by his opening voiceover, where he admits "I made a big mistake".

Gus (Pegg) is the cause of that mistake; a conman Charlie meets when, out of desperation, he takes a job in a call-centre and is persuaded by his new colleague to get involved in a scheme to blackmail a paedophile priest. It all goes hopelessly wrong and having found themselves in a hole, the dopey duo keep digging.

Despite having a bit of a TV feel about it and Pegg's not so impressive American accent, it's an enjoyable, if slight, black comedy of a kind Pegg now seems to specialise in. As for Schwimmer, it's certainly one of the better roles that any former Friends star has taken since leaving the comfort of Central Perk.

The very UK/Pegg-slanted special features include audio commentary by director Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Simon Pegg and Alice Eve plus Holy Molely: How Big Nothing Was Made Featurette, Simon Pegg Video Diary and The Truth about Simon Pegg.