The Big Year

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Release Date: December 2nd 2011

Two bird enthusiasts try to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.

Director: David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me, Hope Springs)

Starring: Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Rosamund Pike, Jim Parsons, Rashida Jones

It's easy to say that The Big Year is one of a kind. How many films can you say you've watched that involve bird fanatics? Probably none.

With an impressive array of comedians (Black, Wilson and Martin), there's a lot to be expected from this film. Like belly aching laughs followed by uncontrollable crying. Instead, we found out that bird watching holds little comic value. This is more a light drama with a few smile in between.

Brad (Blac) and Stu (Martin) strive to become champion bird watcher by participating in the Big Year: to see as many birds as you can within a calender year. Neither of them tells the other or any one else of what they're doing. They make sure that existing champion Kenny Bostick (Wilson) is unaware of their plans.

The only mentionable funny bit see's the trio watching two eagles make their romantic descent. Two of them miss their wives. The last one is left silent.

Bostick is the most interesting character of the three, always chipping off his wife Jessica (Pike) whenever the opportunity arises to see a rare bird. He's in fact a very likeable 'villain' (if that's what he can be called. He may have a slight cocky attitude, but there's no reasoning behind his passion and drive, or for Brad and Stu.

There's an occurring theme running from the beginning, one that spells it out for you when you meet Jessie. Maybe The Big Year should have ended for one before the year started.

Overview: The Big Year plays it safe all the way through to the end. The three comedy legends aren't as strong as we've seen in previous work. The scenery is beautiful, but jumping from one place to another to find a bird and repeat can be monotonous.