Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Dave from Ottawa Bolstered by an early appearance by Teri Hatcher as a vapid starlet, The Big Picture takes a smirky look at the corruption of the creative process by the know-nothing power brokers who run Hollywood. A recent film school graduate gets a chance to direct his first feature, providing he is willing to take advice. It seems everybody has 'suggestions' for the novice director, and the clout to cram them down his throat, especially a pervy producer played with slimy grace by J.T.Walsh. The movie begins to mutate out of his control with funny and disturbing results. Finally he finds himself having to fight to regain control of his film and career. Hollywood movies about Hollywood movie making have proved a rather mixed bag over the years, surprising given the supposed intimacy with the subject matter the films' creators theoretically enjoy. A botched technical detail here or there in a film about Arctic exploration might be forgiven, but Hollywood ought to know its own turf. Luckily, this particular addition to the Hollywood-on-Hollywood genre has a fairly authentic ring. Indeed, the more you understand about the Hollywood movie-making process, the more interesting and entertaining this film is. Yet the movie has enough striking visuals and funny and surprising bits, as to make it accessible to anyone.

chuck-reilly Before he perfected and honed his satirical style, Christopher Guest gave us "The Big Picture." It was his first real directorial assignment and it demonstrated that he had plenty of talent and a sharp biting sense of humor. For some reason, however, the film never saw the light of day upon its initial release and it's only now being reconsidered and reappraised after twenty years in the video store basement. The plot revolves around Nick Chapman (Kevin Bacon), a recent film school graduate who has won a prestigious award. Hollywood comes calling in the form of major studio producer Allen Habel (a great J.T. Walsh) who has definite ideas about young Chapman's career path and first feature film subject matter, much to the young director's chagrin. All goes well at first and Chapman is soon hyped up as Hollywood's "next great film director," and it goes to his head fast than you can say "cut." Along the way, Chapman sells out his best friend (Michael McKean) and live-in lover (Emily Longstreth) and practically everyone else. He flips over beautiful Gretchen (Teri Hatcher in goddess mode) but he soon discovers that he's not even in her top ten list. His fall from grace is brutal and fast and his comeuppance is as well-deserved as his subsequent redemption is hard-earned. A succession of menial jobs to help pay his rent brings the luckless Mr. Chapman down to earth quickly. The scenes of poor Nick working as a telemarketer on the late shift are priceless.If there's a problem with "The Big Picture," it's that the film varies wildly between seriousness and light comedy (literally from scene to scene) and from reality to fantasy (kind of like Hollywood itself). It certainly hits its marks when revealing the shallowness of the system and the phonies who inhabit the big offices as they make their nonsensical decisions. Unfortunately, there's a lot of insider jokes that many viewers won't understand or merely just shrug off. Martin Short (unbilled) is the best of the supporting cast as Chapman's effeminate and bumbling agent; he couldn't close a deal if it landed in his lap. Other notable actors (John Cleese, June Lockhart, Eddie Albert, to name a few) make cameo appearances and have fun livening up the atmosphere. One point director Guest does makes crystal clear, however. No one in Hollywood has a clue as to what kind of movie will be a hit with the general public. It's always been a guessing game and nothing more. In the end "The Big Picture" will probably be best remembered as Mr. Guest's first feature film and a prelude for better things to come. For true film buffs, it'll also remind them of the talent of Emily Longstreth. Her sudden disappearance from the film industry has been much-discussed and remains a total mystery.

elshikh4 It's a testimony and a message. A testimony about a dreamy young artist who wanted to transmit his dreams to public, just to clash with the foundation which's responsible of that (loved the confused daydreams/changes of his original movie when it gets slain by the hungry, so cold, producer). It's a testimony too about surrendering to this foundation in return for losing the innocent self, its dreams, and friends as well. At one dark point the lead becomes as hungry, and so cold, as his producer. Not Hollywood, but all the big foundations can make you like this, turning you into a machine with no special dream. Now the message is exceedingly true. It's about holding on to your innocence. So regardless of how many "Coffins From Hell" you'll going to make, just don't lose yourself in one. And don't forget the big picture, your big picture, because it's more important than anything. It takes a lot of time and troubles to win the ability of making your dreams true, but then don't forget what were them in the first place. The secret of this movie's power and immortality is being so simple and accurate. No doubts it's some pieces of its maker's experience, and the movie is soft and sweet at delivering them. Let alone being optimistic too, since the lead at the end managed to win a big chance, his friends back, and his self. So according to this movie; dreaming and fulfilling can't be an impossible thing. Otherwise look how it was made without a lesbian sex scene! Despite looking small among other flashy and huge Hollywood moneymakers, this is really a big picture. Here, innocence is that true, defended, and winner. P.S : I'm writing about this movie after 12 years of watching it for the only time I did yet, and without having a paper of previous notices. Tells you a lot about its power and immortality.

jotix100 Los Angeles is a city where one can find, almost at every turn, a director, a starlet, a producer, or a cinematographer if one happen to be in the right places. Nick Chapman, a young man from Ohio, is trying his hand at directing. We meet him as he is going to an award ceremony at an event where the best new short film directors are competing for a prize and a chance to make it in the business. Nick is not prepared for what happens after his film becomes the talk of the town.Nick Chapman is in a relationship with Susan, an architect just starting her career. His good friend is Emmet Sumner, a cinematographer struggling to make it in the industry. Nick is being courted to sign in with different people so he can go to his next project. He has written a screenplay for a film that he wants to direct. Never, in his wildest dreams, he never imagined the strange world he is getting into, and the weird people he will have to deal with while getting his picture produced! For starters, Nick's agent, Neil Sussman, whom we meet during a luncheon at one of those trendy restaurants, is a creature from another planet.The next person Nick gets involved with is Allen Habel, a producer that sees potential in Chapman. As Nick pitches the film, Allen is already changing the way he feels will attract viewers, which has nothing to do with the original concept. Allen wants to set the picture on a beach, not in a cabin in the woods, while it is snowing, as Nick has conceived it. To make matters worse, Allen invites the young man to a party at his house that turns out to be a disaster as Nick gets to meet the film capital's fauna and flora, and ends up losing Susan.Nick gets dazzled at first, but when Allen Habel's business goes bad, he is left on his own. Added to all that, he doesn't have any money, so he has to look for any kind of job in order to survive. All his big shot friends drop him like a hot potato. No one will take his calls. Nick having broke with Susan and having betrayed Emmet, finds himself alone in the middle of all that phony world, until he meets a rock band and he makes a video of a song that becomes a hit. It is at this point Nick gets his creative powers back and as we leave him, he is directing his picture the way he wanted.Christopher Guest, a witty genius in his own right, directed this movie, his first full length film. "The Big Picture" shows a great talented director that knows well that strange world of glitter and heartaches that is Hollywood. Christopher Guest has been involved in the movie industry for most of his life and it shows.Kevin Bacon is an asset in any picture where he appears. His take on Nick Chapman is dead on. Mr. Bacon is an excellent actor, as he shows here. It is unfortunate Martin Short, who steals every scene he is in didn't get credit for being in the film. His agent must be a composite on the many characters the director, and him, must have met, at one time, or another.Christopher Guest has a group of actors that are featured in his films. Michael McKean and Mr. Guest have a long history of collaboration. The late J.T. Walsh gives one of his best performances as Allen Habel. The rest of the ensemble cast is also notable, Teri Hatcher, Fran Dresher, and a goofy Jennifer Jason Leigh, among others.Never having seen this film, we were lucky to catch it recently and it was worth the wait.