Review of Big Nothing (2006) by Blanky A — 18 Sep 2009

This is one of those scripts in which something deliberately surprising happens every few minutes - unpredictable characters, sudden bends in the story, massive red herrings, out-of-the-blue betrayals, plot-changing revelations. But in this genre, this is precisely what we expect. We scan ahead for loopholes, every spot where some little dropped hint is going to come back into play. Sure, it's wacky and freewheeling, but it's also so carefully constructed that there's very little actual life in it.

The cast livens things up considerably. There's terrific chemistry among the three central characters who have nothing in common and really should have known better than get involved in this cockamamie scheme. Despite Charlie's academic bent, Schwimmer nicely distances himself from Friends and Ross. His dilemma is understandable, although his boneheaded actions sometimes stretch credibility. Meanwhile, Pegg delivers a remarkably astute performance - funny with intriguingly serious undertones - while newcomer Eve gives a terrific break-out turn.