Watch The Big Empty For Free

Too much of everything

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

A soggy mash-up of genres, with Jon Favreau playing a comically (or, perhaps satirically) narcissistic unemployed actor in Los Angeles who accepts a courier job from his eccentric neighbor; his assignment is to deliver a blue suitcase to a man named Cowboy out in the remote town of Baker, CA...but when he gets there, the connection has already left. Most unemployed actors in Favreau's situation would turn around and head home, but he instead checks into the local motel and gets involved with several of the desert denizens. Writer-director Steve Anderson doesn't seem very intrigued by the familiar material, nor is he particularly anxious to put a different spin on it. It's "U-Turn" or "After Hours" accented with a Lynchian non-sensibility. Once the protagonist gets locked into this bizarre town, Anderson offers him nothing but off-putting company and outlandish avenues. Favreau (easy-going in a bowling shirt) ogles the sexy cowgirls--and his own reflection--without giving us a genuine character. This type of indifferent cockiness can get awfully monotonous, despite Favreau's overall polite nature. He's a handsome lug with an open face, yet he projects no other personality except as the proverbial guy-on-the-make. *1/2 from ****

This is one of those movies you actually HAVE TO watch two or three times to fully appreciate. You'll start noticing little things - like that Grace has a band-aid on her neck at the very beginning. When Neely's doing his sales job on Jon, Jon's clock says it's 11:11pm, yet he needs to be in Baker by 10:00 (?). Grace is in apt 12, across the hall from Jon (so Jon is in room 11). Most (all?) clocks shown, even in the background, throughout the movie show the same time: 11:11. Jon's room number at the Royal Hawiian is 111. Jon's shoe size is 11. Bowling at the end of the movie - lane 11 and he gets an 11th frame. Significance? I haven't figured it out yet!Notice Neely's blue jump suit, and the logo on the jump suit. While Jon is chatting with Dan in the diner, later in the movie, someone walks by outside wearing the same style jump suit. Near the end of the movie, when Jon visits the FBI (Kelsey), watch keenly when Kelsy (Agent Beggs?) opens the file. Right there on top is a document with the same logo as on Neely's jump suit.There's a few other things along these lines, but you get the drift. Watch it once and enjoy it. Watch it again (and again!) with a keen eye and be a bit fascinated. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie on first viewing. It grabs your attention and keeps it. It's pleasantly different from anything you've seen before. All the acting is great, as is the soundtrack. I've recommended it to all my friends, and have gotten positive feedback from all who've seen it. Watch it again!

This is a nice film, a sort of "stationary road movie". As such it is something for fans of the genre: something for those who believe that in a film - as in a journey - the way is the goal. It is not something for people who expect closure from a film.The film presents the "hero" (and the viewer) with a nice bunch of "crazy locals". And it throws in some nods to, and mockeries of, alien and conspiracy themed films.There's not much else to say about this film. The list of cast-members is impressive, and their performances are brilliant - or "stellar", as one should rather say in this case.

Basically I got the impression that this movie wasn't fully realized. Not by anyone. Not the director who was also the writer, not by the producers, not by anyone. No seemed to know where this movie was going. Which is a real shame because it could have been great. But as I watched the movie I couldn't help thinking that where the writer/director wanted to go seemed to changed every time he sat down to write and by the end of writing the movie, he had worked himself into a corner.I do have to say that the best part of the entire movie is the mysterious Cowboy (played by the handsome, talented, and underrated Sean Bean) and his best scene in the movie is when he makes his first appearance.Honestly Bean was the only real reason why I remained interest in the movie because parts of the movie dragged, or just felt like it was trying too hard to be something it wasn't. Jon Favreau is good, Kelsey Grammar is wasted as I felt his character really didn't add anything to the story, and Daryl Hannah is good but again, feels wasted. I would say watch it for Sean Bean, but he really isn't in the movie enough, which is a real shame.