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SYNOPSIS:
Director David Zucker returns to the satire genre with BIG FAT IMPORTANT MOVIE. The political spoof stars Kevin Farley as Michael Malone, a left-wing documentary filmmaker with a strong likeness to the controversial real-life Michael Moore. The world has long put up with Malone's cynical films and so-called liberal antics. But when he announces his plans to abolish the Fourth of July, the consensus is that he's finally gone too far. Can the three spirits who arrive to haunt Mr Malone change his stubborn world view?
MOVIE
REVIEW:
Big Fat Important Movie or otherwise known as "An American Carol" in the U.S.A is the latest offering by director David Zucker, well known for giving us hilarious spoof movies such as The Naked Gun franchise and the recent Superhero Movie. His movies usually feature puns, slapstick, and visual gags which could vary from being crude, lowbrow to mean spirited. For this thinly veiled attack on liberal filmmaker Michael Moore who made films that criticized what's wrong with America today, David Zucker seemly forgotten to bring his comedic touch and all that is left in this movie, was an apparent mean spirited grudge against an opposition party.
Using the well known Christmas Carol story as template, Michael Moore Malone was portrayed as the misguided Scrooge persona who hates the 4th of July (America's Independence Day) and was planning to abolish this proud American celebration. Like Scrooge, Michael Malone was visited by his idolized politician (JFK) and other spirits (Kelsey Grammer as General George S. Patton) to show him the 'folly' of his anti-American ways though dream like sceniro of the past, present and future.
The problem here is that this movie resorted to taking cheap shots at Michael Moore Malone repeatedly. Making derogatory snipes at him by attacking his physical body shape and his hygiene. It often hinted that he couldn't get laid and therefore became such an anti America persona. Lastly, this "satire" repeatedly trampled all over the fact that he is a documentary filmmaker and tried to debased the merits of being a documentary filmmaker.
Very juvenile if you ask me.
Putting aside whether Michael Moore had all his facts right in his documentaries, he at least made interesting and insightful digs at his subjects. He didn't hold back his punches but at least he does it in a clever and entertaining way. David Zucker's Big Fat Important Movie just lack the witty finesse and the sore vendetta against the documentary filmmaker was all too obvious.
I wondered if I was bias in reviewing this 'satire' as I tend to agree with Michael Moore's documentaries and that America was wrong in waging a war on 'terror'. This movie just play up the patriotism of going to war for America and accusing that the professors in the education system were being anti war hippies that are forcing the next generation to not fight for their country or think beyond their stance. While it's fun to make outlandish jokes from spoofing movies, it's dangerous and idiotic to make fun of actual problematic issues that America is currently facing.
I must admit that I was taking mental notes of the actors who appeared in this movie and wondered what are their political stance. Admittedly, this spoof also diminished my admiration for certain notable actors and film maker for making their political grudge so apparent and unlikeable.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Big Fat Important Movie has it's moment when it occasionally feature loud explosion and country music concert. This relatively low budget movie also contained a few big scale demonstration events. A playback on dvd / tv is adequately presentable.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Richard Lim Jr
Posted on 4 April 2010
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