The Big Kahuna is best taken as an acting showcase for DeVito (whose low-key, deeply affecting performance is unlike anything he's done before) and Spacey.
The Big Kahuna (1999)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:56
Rotten:20
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: Wonderful adaptation of the stage play.
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: First-time feature director John Swanbeck teams up with producer-actor Kevin Spacey for this big screen adaptation of Roger Rueff's play HOSPITALITY SUITE. The story concerns three lubricant... First-time feature director John Swanbeck teams up with producer-actor Kevin Spacey for this big screen adaptation of Roger Rueff's play HOSPITALITY SUITE. The story concerns three lubricant salesmen who have gathered in a Witchita, Kansas hotel room in order to throw a cocktail party for prospective buyers. They are Larry (Spacey), a harsh, cocky veteran; his partner Phil (Danny DeVito), a passive recovering alcoholic; and Bob (Peter Facinelli), a naïve new colleague whose ethics drive Larry into fits of disbelief. The trio waits for the night's arrivals--most specifically, "The Big Kahuna," a man so wealthy that he has the ability to single-handedly revive Larry and Phil's struggling careers. After the party, Larry and Phil are dumbfounded when they discover that Bob actually spoke to him, only their conversation consisted solely of religious dialogue. Larry sends Bob in search of "The Big Kahuna" with the order that he discuss business if he wants to remain employed. The subsequent hours provide each individual with the chance to exorcise his inner demons once and for all. Limited in its usage of locations, Rueff's big-screen adaptation of his play contains inspired performances from Spacey, DeVito, and Facinelli. [More]
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Danny De Vito, Peter Facinelli
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Danny De Vito, Peter Facinelli
Director: John Swanbeck
Director: John Swanbeck
Screenwriter: Roger Rueff
Producer: Elie Samaha, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Stevens
Composer: Christopher Young
Get This Movie
Reviews for The Big Kahuna
Spacey and DeVito deliver such layered, perceptive and detailed performances that their mere presence raises the picture to a recommendable level.
If we've all got something to sell, what parts do character and integrity play in our occupational goals? ** Interviews **
It makes exactly the point that is the opposite of the point it thought it was making: Acting isn't enough.
Most films would quickly become stuffy with this limiting approach, but it is a tribute to the sharpness of the acting and the dialog that The Big Kahuna rarely does.
The destination is well worth the sometimes baffling and tedious journey.
The Big Kahuna succeeds, describing the world many of us inhabit in a provocative fashion and inspiring a new appreciation for the likes of Willy Loman.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 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 |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Big Kahuna at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


