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The Big Animal (2006)
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Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:21
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.5/10
Synopsis: Charming, engaging, and sharply funny, this observant comedy from director Jerzy Stuhr (working from the great Krzystof Kieslowski's original script) spins the tale of Zygmunt Sawicki (Stuhr), an... Charming, engaging, and sharply funny, this observant comedy from director Jerzy Stuhr (working from the great Krzystof Kieslowski's original script) spins the tale of Zygmunt Sawicki (Stuhr), an unexceptional Polish bank clerk, and his wife (Anna Dymna), who one day find a camel standing in front of their house. They become increasingly attached to the creature, despite the jealous disapproval of their neighbors and local officials. A nearly universal critical smash, this warmly intelligent and insightful film also boasts gorgeous black-and-white cinematography courtesy of Academy Award nominee Pawel Edelman. [More]
Starring: Jerzy Stuhr, Anna Dymna
Starring: Jerzy Stuhr, Anna Dymna
Director: Jerzy Stuhr
Director: Jerzy Stuhr
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Reviews for The Big Animal
The crisp, elegant black-and-white cinematography by Academy Award nominee Pawel Edelman (The Pianist) is well-matched to the simplicity of the narrative.
This film is a natural for tweens and teens, like The Yearling or the British film Ring of Bright Water.
Kieslowski has written a film about how people, when confronting something new, often react with anger and even vengeance.
It's a modest film...but Stuhr's sure hand with his material and the effective performances make it a memorable parable about the spark of individuality.
Delightfully poetic for all of its ironic and allegorical subtleties.
Rubio, a denizen of a Polish circus, is simply terrific as the unnamed creature, whose reactions to events around him are a quiet delight.
Memorializes a complex man and his deceptively simple work, by a friend and colleague in a fitting tribute.
The Big Animal unfolds rather like a fable of modern life, demonstrating how the small community’s intolerance increases with the fervor of Zygmunt’s unexplained devotion.
Beyond its initial one-joke concept and heavy-handed allegory, The Big Animal doesn't have much to say, and even at 72 minutes it seems a bit padded out.
Stuhr's directing seems ambiguous on how to handle its rich findings.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
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