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Big Trouble (1986) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
4.9/10   390 votes
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Director:
John Cassavetes
Writer:
Andrew Bergman (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Big Trouble on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 May 1986 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Plot:
Insurance agent plots with client to kill her nutty husband. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
Watch the John Cassavetes Documentary "I'm Almost Not Crazy"
 (From JustPressPlay. 8 June 2009, 4:41 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
unusual Cassavetes style comedy more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Peter Falk ... Steve Rickey

Alan Arkin ... Leonard Hoffman

Beverly D'Angelo ... Blanche Rickey
Charles Durning ... O'Mara

Robert Stack ... Winslow
Paul Dooley ... Noozel
Valerie Curtin ... Arlene Hoffman
Richard Libertini ... Dr. Lopez
Steve Alterman ... Peter Hoffman
Jerry Pavlon ... Michael Hoffman
Paul La Greca ... Joshua Hoffman

John Finnegan ... Det. Murphy
Karl Lukas ... Police captain
Maryedith Burrell ... Gail
Edith Fields ... Doris
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Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Stereo

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Cassavetes' last film as director more
Movie Connections:
References The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) more
Soundtrack:
Trio No. 15 more

FAQ

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful:-
unusual Cassavetes style comedy, 11 July 2002
Author: LesHalles from Los Angeles

This is a demanding comedy, because much of the humor depends on references to classic films, and will be lost to someone who is not familiar with them. It does have many incredibly funny scenes on its own right, and some great performance bits.

Plus Beverly D'Angelo is gorgeous and very funny both.

See some later reviews for relevent films, and consider seeing the referenced films first to appreciate the humor more. Without understanding the references and parodies of this film-maker's comedy though, it might be confusing.

Also consider seeing some of Cassavetes work first, to get an idea of what he is usually about. This film melds his own idosyncratic style with a more mainstream American comic style, but has the timing and structure of Godard film.

Big Trouble is a a reteaming of some of the acting same talent that made the incredibly funny The In-Laws. It is much more surrealistic and avant-garde, being directed by that greatest of American directors John Cassavetes. Like the films he himself scripted, it is more character than plot driven. Cassavetes is exploring something in this film; it is not a consistently drop-down funny flim like The In-Laws, nor is the action as suspenseful and spine-tingling, but it has some incredibly funny moments, including one of the funniest scenes ever put on film (try some sardine liquor). Not to be missed by Cassavetes fans or die-hard In-Laws fans who want more.

Someone looking for an easy to watch straight-ahead comedy or action/adventure film, however, might be disappointed.

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