A combination romantic comedy and satire of the New York art scene, "The Next Big Thing" doesn't live up to its title. Squandering a potentially juicy subject for ridicule, the film simply doesn't have the wit necessary to do it justice, relying instead on obvious jokes and stereotypical characterizations. Theatrical prospects look iffy, but the plethora of cast members familiar from television should ensure a decent life on video and cable.
The story revolves around the plight of struggling artist Gus Bishop (Chris Eigeman), whose girlfriend (Marin Hinkle) is about to walk out on him thanks to his inability to sell a single painting. On his way to a meeting with an important Manhattan art dealer (Farley Granger, making a welcome return to the screen and looking terrific), Gus gets mugged, and the crook promptly breaks into Gus' apartment and steals, among other things, one of his paintings.
When the crook, Deech (Jamie Harris), manages to pawn off the canvas on his landlord by claiming that the artist is a famous, reclusive Vietnam vet and victim of abuse, an idea is hatched. Deech and a reluctant Gus enter into a partnership with the idea of selling Gus' paintings at a premium, claiming they're the work of "Geoffrey Buonardi". Yes, this is the kind of comedy in which a funny name is lifted from a bottle of spaghetti sauce.
Naturally, the works of Buonardi become an art world sensation, commanding thousands of dollars and creating great interest in the unseen artist. This leads to the inevitable complications, involving a gorgeous art critic (Connie Britton) on whom Gus has a serious crush and a rapacious collector (Janet Zarish) with a tendency to bed the artists whose work she's interested in. Making things even worse are Gus' greedy girlfriend and a nosy private investigator (Mike Starr), who both want in on the action.
While the film's central conceit is serviceable, it hasn't been handled with any inventiveness, and the dialogue and characterizations rarely rise above the level of cliche. It's too bad, because several members of the cast have demonstrated in earlier efforts that they're clearly capable of garnering laughs. Eigeman, veteran of several Whit Stillman films and the ABC comedy series "It's Like, You Know ...", has great deadpan timing, but it's used to little effect here. The charming Britton and Hinkle are similarly wasted, and even normally reliable scene stealers like Starr seem uninspired.
THE NEXT BIG THING
Castle Hill Prods.
Twopoundbag Prods./Double Films
Credits: Director: PJ Posner
Screenwriters: Joel Posner, PJ Posner
Producers: PJ Posner, Joel Posner, Andrew Fierberg, Amy Hobby
Director of photography: Oliver Bokelberg
Editor: David Zieff
Production designer: Deana Sidney
Original music: Ferdinand Jay Smith with Casey Filiaci and Jay Smith IV
Cast:
Gus Bishop: Chris Eigeman
Deech Scumble: Jamie Harris
Kate Crowley: Connie Britton
Florence Rubin: Janet Zarish
Walter Sznitken: Mike Starr
Arthur Pomposello: Farley Granger
Shari Lampkin: Marin Hinkle
Running time -- 87 minutes
MPAA rating R...
The story revolves around the plight of struggling artist Gus Bishop (Chris Eigeman), whose girlfriend (Marin Hinkle) is about to walk out on him thanks to his inability to sell a single painting. On his way to a meeting with an important Manhattan art dealer (Farley Granger, making a welcome return to the screen and looking terrific), Gus gets mugged, and the crook promptly breaks into Gus' apartment and steals, among other things, one of his paintings.
When the crook, Deech (Jamie Harris), manages to pawn off the canvas on his landlord by claiming that the artist is a famous, reclusive Vietnam vet and victim of abuse, an idea is hatched. Deech and a reluctant Gus enter into a partnership with the idea of selling Gus' paintings at a premium, claiming they're the work of "Geoffrey Buonardi". Yes, this is the kind of comedy in which a funny name is lifted from a bottle of spaghetti sauce.
Naturally, the works of Buonardi become an art world sensation, commanding thousands of dollars and creating great interest in the unseen artist. This leads to the inevitable complications, involving a gorgeous art critic (Connie Britton) on whom Gus has a serious crush and a rapacious collector (Janet Zarish) with a tendency to bed the artists whose work she's interested in. Making things even worse are Gus' greedy girlfriend and a nosy private investigator (Mike Starr), who both want in on the action.
While the film's central conceit is serviceable, it hasn't been handled with any inventiveness, and the dialogue and characterizations rarely rise above the level of cliche. It's too bad, because several members of the cast have demonstrated in earlier efforts that they're clearly capable of garnering laughs. Eigeman, veteran of several Whit Stillman films and the ABC comedy series "It's Like, You Know ...", has great deadpan timing, but it's used to little effect here. The charming Britton and Hinkle are similarly wasted, and even normally reliable scene stealers like Starr seem uninspired.
THE NEXT BIG THING
Castle Hill Prods.
Twopoundbag Prods./Double Films
Credits: Director: PJ Posner
Screenwriters: Joel Posner, PJ Posner
Producers: PJ Posner, Joel Posner, Andrew Fierberg, Amy Hobby
Director of photography: Oliver Bokelberg
Editor: David Zieff
Production designer: Deana Sidney
Original music: Ferdinand Jay Smith with Casey Filiaci and Jay Smith IV
Cast:
Gus Bishop: Chris Eigeman
Deech Scumble: Jamie Harris
Kate Crowley: Connie Britton
Florence Rubin: Janet Zarish
Walter Sznitken: Mike Starr
Arthur Pomposello: Farley Granger
Shari Lampkin: Marin Hinkle
Running time -- 87 minutes
MPAA rating R...
- 5/31/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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