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The Big KahunaRating:
Release Date: 29 August, 2000 Retail Price: $26.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: |
The Big Kahuna Reviews
Meaning Beneath The Surface!
Some art is made truly great by its ability to take something ordinary and show its hidden more-than-ordinary side. To this reviewers mind, that is one of the things - outside of excellent acting and good dialogue - that makes The Big Kahuna a spectacular work of art.
Translated from Roger Rueff's play, "Hospitality Suite," TBK lets us into the world of three salesmen of industrial lubricants before, during, and after, hosting a business party that could make or break their careers. One character is a veteran who is growing weary of the business world. Another is a middle aged 'natural born salesman.' The third is a rookie who is new to the whole thing and is (some would say) naive about the whole business process. Between these three divurgent personalities, sparks fly, waters are tested, and no one is left unscathed.
As said, sometimes art is made great by its abilty to show the 'beneath the surface' side of seemingly ordinary things. In TBK, a business party becomes the vehicle for exploring everything from how much 'humanness' is permitted into the impersonal world of business, what happens when religious ethics show up in the business world, and (?!) even matters of life, death, and whether either has any grande meaning.
Especially, religion is a large element of the film. The youngest character - the newbie - is a religiously committed baptist. The oldest character, by contrast, seems to be going through a crisis of faith and is "wondering about god" in increasing amounts. When an important big-whig doesn't show up to the party, one character urges another to "have faith... for once in your life." And the words "Jesus Christ" are bandied about as everything from a proper name to a nasty exclamation. If nothing else, the invocation of religion into a film about "making the sale" makes for a thrilling tension underlying the entire film.
Others have commented on the acting. All three characters - Peter Facinelli (the newbie), Kevin Spacey (natural-born-salesman) and Danny DeVito (the tired veteran) - all give outstanding performances. All three know their characters very well, making for very reallistic interplay. Despite my efforts, I cannot imagine these roles being played better by any other actors.
If you like films that make you think a bit, taking ordinary things and showing them from angles that make them appear new, then this film is one you should check out. Three characters, one hospitality suite in Wichita, KS, a business party that could make or break careers. Anything can - and does - happen.
Well done, but nothing really new in this familiar salesman story.
This 1999 film, which has the feeling of a play, stars Kevin Spacy and Danny DeVito. The setting is a hotel room in Wichita, Kansas. There's a convention going on and these two men are salesmen with a background of making sleazy deals. They need a deal right now because the company is in financial trouble. They're hoping that a major retailer will show up at the party at their suite. Their careers rest on getting his business.
There's a new salesman in the company though, played by Peter Facinelli. He's young and idealistic and very religious. He doesn't drink or swear and he talks about Jesus. Immediately there is conflict, as the veteran salesmen do their best to influence this new recruit. Problems ensue when the religious guy does get the ear of the retailer. But he only talks to him about religion.
The dialog is fast and sharp. The acting is excellent Some interesting questions are raised. What is salesmanship anyway? Is a product the only thing that can be sold? What about religion?
I enjoyed this film and do recommend it. But my recommendation is a mild one, mainly because there are no surprises and the theme is a little tired.
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