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The Big Kahuna (1999)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.4/10
Reviews Counted: 76
Fresh: 56 | Rotten: 20

Wonderful adaptation of the stage play.

Average Rating: 6.4/10
Critic Reviews: 22
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 7

Wonderful adaptation of the stage play.

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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 7,576

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Movie Info

Three salesmen working for a firm that makes industrial lubricants are waiting in the company's "hospitality suite" at a manufacturers' convention for a "big kahuna" named Dick Fuller to show up, in hopes they can persuade him to place an order that could salvage the company's flagging sales. Phil (Danny DeVito) is in his mid-50s; he's devoted his life to his job but emotionally has little to show for it. He's learned to live with the loneliness of a salesman's life, but is smarting over the

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: John Swanbeck

Written By: Roger Rueff

In Theaters: Apr 28, 2000 Wide

On DVD: Aug 29, 2000

Lions Gate Films

Cast

Critic Reviews for The Big Kahuna

All Critics (95) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (56) | Rotten (20) | DVD (9)

It's smart, funny and insightful and it's quite easy to see what attracted the stars to it.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Ernest Hardy

Film.com

Top Critic

Sharp-edged, perfectly timed, funny and thoughtful.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

The Big Kahuna is hardly more than a sketch or curtain-raiser.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly

| Comment

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Top Critic

Giving actors a chance to act seems to be the point...

January 2, 2005 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

At our best, we admit our faults. And we admit that others, no matter how different, have something to teach us. What a surprising thing to learn from a film.

December 6, 2004 Comment

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

...worth watching just for the performances...

August 1, 2003 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

You get the feeling that The Big Kahuna would be great in-the-round theater, its ambiguous machinations benefiting from feeding off of a live audience. As filmed, however, it's just three characters waiting for a story.

July 18, 2003 Full Review Source: Entertainment Today

| Comment

Brent Simon

Entertainment Today

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Big Kahuna

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I dont get it! Like its a good movie if you base it on Spaceys an Devitos acting and the fact it is wel written in the comedy part wth a few really good laugh out loud moments and the story is ok i understand there after a big sale but i dont understand why a guy whose really religious would ignore his job and talk

November 23, 2007

Film Crazy

Super Reviewer

Well written and acted dialogue-driven film, something rare these days, about the dog-eats-dog world of big company business. It does get preachy towards the end, and way too religious, but it's still an enjoyable ride. With the 3 leads very spot on in their roles.

September 29, 2007