Watch Big Bad Love For Free

Masterful Cinema

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Some other reviewers comment positively about this film. I will not mince words. I can't stoop so low. I have to tell the truth about it. This film was a total waste of my time from beginning until the end.Others write that this film is Surreal. Yes it is. They accurately report about the actors and the sadness of much of the story, the drunken writer, his continuing battles with his ex-wife, his deadbeat best friend.Where these other writers fall short is their failure to mention that the story line and the director develop no connection between the audience and the characters. No sympathy. All these characters are just pitiful people, failures on different levels but all failures. Just bums. Gritty, yes. Believable, no. They say it is painful, yes. But then they falsely claim there are rewards. There are none. One writer admits that it is uneven. Understatement. There are creative "dreams" or day dreams, but they do more to interrupt the flow of the movie, than promote it. The day dreams are the best part, so it may be more accurate to say the movie interrupts the flow of the dream sequences.There is nothing wonderful about this movie. Don't waste your time. If it comes in your TV guide, turn on a different channel, any channel. Or turn the set off.

I loved the "writer genre". "Take the Highway Son." I found this film sad and depressing and LOVED it anyway. The character of Leon Barlow is extremely well drawn out. His deep love for his ex-wife and writing always seemed out of reach, yet, in the end there is hope as he finally finds success in getting published and then -- who knows! The boxcar HAD to roll off at the end! It was a metaphor for the load of false "JUNK" that had blocked his success. He had worked the Monmouth monument of boxed up pain over and over trying to make it "normal." Eventually the time came for it to move on and roll away. At last he blooms! Joni Grawe, Pawnee, IL

Rest in peace Larry Brown. It's so bizarre. I was just re-watching one of my favorite movies of all time last night (Big Bad Love). Larry Brown wrote the book, and he also has a small part as Barlow's father in the film.Then I read on-line that Larry died today of a heart attack (11/24/04). That is very strange. Anyway, if you haven't seen it, watch the movie "Big Bad Love" (see my review in an earlier listing 4/21/03). I found the story, acting and music to be some of the most moving material I've ever experienced. Don't worry, there are plenty of laughs too. If this flick doesn't draw some emotion from you, you better check for a pulse.Also get the soundtrack CD. It has some of the coolest blues that you'll ever hear. It features several artists from the North Mississippi Hill Country region, where the movie was filmed. R.L. Burnside and Kenny Brown even have cameo appearances. It's some big bad music.Crawlin' KingsnakeAustin, TX

Big bad love is a truly beautiful movie. Arliss Howard has done what I have been eagerly expecting for a long lime,i.e. portrayed a tormented human being without the typical Hollywood string-quartet having to tell you when to feel something. The acting itself along with the perfect script and footage render this film a credibility and sincerity seldom found in American movies. Thanks Howard Arliss!