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The Big Picture

Play trailer Poster for The Big Picture PG-13 1989 1h 41m Comedy Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 23 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Hollywood beckons for recent film school grad Nick Chapman (Kevin Bacon), who is out to capitalize on the momentum from his national award-winning student film. Studio executive Allen Habel (J.T. Walsh) seduces Nick with a dream deal to make his first feature, but once production gets rolling, corporate reality begins to intervene: Nick is unable to control a series of compromises to his high-minded vision, and it's all he can do to maintain his integrity in the midst of filmmaking chaos.
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The Big Picture

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Critics Consensus

The Big Picture aims at targets that might not be familiar to viewers who aren't well-versed in movie-biz chicanery, but hits most of them so solidly that laughter is the only option.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 02/02/2016
[A] hilariously canny 1989 satire about contemporary filmmaking in Hollywood. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/11/2009
Befitting two of the co-authors of This is Spinal Tap, Guest and Michael McKean, The Big Picture displays a keen eye for the silliness of film biz customs, lingo and attitudes. Go to Full Review Nigel Floyd Time Out 02/09/2006
The movie references may strike some as in-jokey, but Guest's likeable film has enough jaundiced sideswipes and lighter chuckles to see it through its slacker spells. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 03/23/2020
2/4
...generally feels like a short that's been awkwardly expanded to feature length... Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 03/21/2016
B
A genial and funny satire/comedy about an up-and-coming student filmmaker. Go to Full Review Ralph Novak People Magazine 02/02/2016
Partly romance, partly fantasy, partly satire on what passes for life in Hollywood -- and all charm -- this movie even has a perfect title. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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thiago s @Thiagostone Sep 29 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 23 Funny in 1 hour and 40 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $33,100.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more David M 12/21/2024 Self-involved Hollywood movie, mildly amusing critique of the movie industry. Probably not a good use of 1:40. See more Jerod S @jeroduptown 04/21/2024 Bacon's journey into the film world as a promising student is wild, but not wildly funny. See more David F @dfulmer 03/12/2023 This insider comedy about Hollywood has little to recommend it. Kevin Bacon is a film student who wins a student film award and then gets courted by producers and agents (one of whom is Martin Short in a hilarious role as a weirdo agent - really the only good thing about this film). He experiences the ups and downs of moviemaking, and there are some impressive cameos, but for some reason the film just doesn't work. See more 11/22/2020 3.5. Interesting depiction of the vultures and parasites that are Hollywood . And also how a little success can get to some people and make them forget about everything that got them there and everything deemed important See more Read all reviews
The Big Picture

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Cast & Crew

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Christopher Guest

Director

Kevin Bacon

Nick Chapman

Emily Longstreth

Susan Rawlings

J.T. Walsh

Allen Habel

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Lydia Johnson

Martin Short

Neil Sussman

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The Big Picture

The Big Picture (1989) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Hollywood beckons for recent film school grad Nick Chapman (Kevin Bacon), who is out to capitalize on the momentum from his national award-winning student film. Studio executive Allen Habel (J.T. Walsh) seduces Nick with a dream deal to make his first feature, but once production gets rolling, corporate reality begins to intervene: Nick is unable to control a series of compromises to his high-minded vision, and it's all he can do to maintain his integrity in the midst of filmmaking chaos.
Director
Christopher Guest
Producer
Michael Varhol
Production Co
Aspen Film Society
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$33.1K
Runtime
1h 41m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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