The Big White (2005) Review: Ranking Robin Williams’ Failed Fargo Clone
Is The Big White (2005) a good movie? No, The Big White is a hollow, frustrating 2005 dark comedy that tries and fails to capture the magic of Fargo. While Robin Williams carries the entire film with a grounded 5-star performance, the terrible script and unrealistic characters land it near the bottom of our ultimate movie ranking and review.
The Premise: What is The Big White About?
Paul Barnell (Robin Williams) is a struggling Alaskan travel agent drowning in debt while trying to care for his wife, who has Tourette syndrome. When Paul discovers a frozen corpse, he hatches a desperate plan to pass it off as his estranged brother to collect a massive life insurance payout. Unsurprisingly, this pulls him into a web of absurd and dangerous situations involving hitmen, insurance investigators, and his actual, unhinged brother.
(Note: Directed by Mark Mylod, the film features an impressive cast including Holly Hunter, Giovanni Ribisi, and Woody Harrelson, yet it went largely unnoticed and straight to DVD in many markets).
What Works: Robin Williams
Robin is forced to carry the entire film on his shoulders. In a movie filled with bizarre caricatures, he is the only character that feels somewhat real, proving once again his immense talent as a dramatic actor in dark comedies.
What Doesn't Work: Trying to be Fargo
It is impossible to watch The Big White and not immediately think of the Coen Brothers' classic, Fargo. But Fargo works because the comedy arises from grounded, realistic characters making terrible choices. The Big White feels like someone watched Fargo and decided to just make a cartoonish version without any of the realism.
The writing is atrocious. For example, an insurance investigator's girlfriend just happens to work from home as a $1.99-a-minute psychic. This exists solely so Robin Williams’ wife can call her later after being kidnapped. Woody Harrelson also shows up as the estranged brother and delivers a completely unhinged, cartoonish performance. None of these characters act like actual human beings, making it impossible to care about what happens to them. By the end of the film, you feel nothing but confusion.
The Robin Williams Ranking & Performance Score
Robin Williams Performance Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars) Robin delivers another 5-star performance, acting as the only anchor in a movie completely devoid of reality.
Good Mourning Robin Ranking: In our ranking, this sits very low. I am placing it above Patch Adams, but below Cadillac Man.
FAQ: The Big White (2005) Movie
What is the movie The Big White about? It is a dark comedy about a desperate Alaskan travel agent who finds a frozen body and tries to pass it off as his missing brother to collect a life insurance policy.
Who starred alongside Robin Williams in The Big White? The film features Woody Harrelson as his cartoonishly unhinged brother, alongside Holly Hunter and Giovanni Ribisi.
Why do reviewers compare The Big White to Fargo? Both films feature a desperate man in a snowy, desolate landscape making terrible, criminal choices that spiral out of control. However, The Big White is heavily criticized for lacking the grounded realism that made Fargo a masterpiece.
How does Robin Williams' performance in The Big White rank? In our review, he earns a 5-star score. He is the only actor playing a believable human being, effectively carrying the entire emotional weight of the film.
