The Big Picture

1989
PG-13
1h 40m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

6.3K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer2:08

1 Video

26 Photos

Satire Showbiz Drama Comedy Drama Romance

Film school grad Nick Chapman thought his career was made after his award winning short film, but discovered Hollywood wasn't as easy as it seems.Film school grad Nick Chapman thought his career was made after his award winning short film, but discovered Hollywood wasn't as easy as it seems.Film school grad Nick Chapman thought his career was made after his award winning short film, but discovered Hollywood wasn't as easy as it seems.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

6.3K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 2:08

Watch Official Trailer

Photos26

+ 19

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Storyline

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Trivia
As Nick walks out of the Los Angeles movie theater, the short cigar-smoking fellow one step ahead of him is Jerry Maren, who at the time was one of the last surviving Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Goofs
A pointed piece of equipment moves up and out of frame as Lydia is talking to Nick in her house.

Quotes
Neil Sussman: I don't know you. I don't know your work. But I think you are a genius. And I am never wrong about that.

Alternate versions
The 2015 Blu-ray from Mill Creek has only a mono soundtrack. It also changes out the end card of A Columbia Pictures Release for a modern Sony Pictures Television logo.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Sea of Love/True Love/The Big Picture/Shirley Valentine/The Rachel Papers (1989)

Soundtracks
The Whites of Their Eyes
Written by Christopher Guest and Michael McKean
Performed by PEZ® People
Sung by Michael McKean

User reviews54

Review

Featured review

8/10

Under-rated film of the 80's

This is an under-rated late 80's film that captures the changing entertainment scene of that decade, with much humor and irony.

While the usual "Hollywood is phony" theme exists here, that story is always interesting, and it really scores when it reminds us of how success can be gained and lost quickly.

Martin Short is the uncredited star here, with a couple of hilarious scenes, the best one at the outdoor patio restaurant where he praises Bacon without knowing any of his work. All in all, a nice movie about movies, with some special surprise locations for movie buffs!

The late J.T. Walsh offers a subtle performance here, with one of my favorite (perhaps a somewhat spoiler line, but nothing to do with the plot)...Bacon: "I'm from Ohio", with Walsh's comeback, "my first wife is from Illinois", as in everything outside of LA is one place. Perfect deadpan humor.