Larger Than Life (1996)

You won't be disappointed!

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

(Bill Murray) is one of the best actors and comedians in the last 20 years. So why to make a lame movie with an elephant? The answer : to be in business, to not be forgotten as a name in unstoppable ruthless industry, and to have a wonderful experience with an elephant BUT did we get any wonderful experience out of watching this ? I feel pity because of an easy script like this. So what was the meaning that the lead is a motivational speaker ?! and what exactly had changed in him after this trip ? and is there any intended similarity between him as a speaker and his father as a clown ? Then what was the running theme in this whole movie anyway ?!! I'm sorry, but the ultimate answer for all would be : NOTHING! OK, Matthew McConaughey cleverly plays a crazy driver (in the same year of his breakthrough A Time to Kill). Although that was humorous lateral conflict, but the script made him take part after the end of its first half !?? And event like the lead's fiancée leaving him to marry his publisher (as the finale's board shows) pushes you to ask: Why she left him ??! I think the "Trip" just affected the lead in a way to learn more lessons about life or to know what he really wants, and to discover more credibility around him. But all of that just in damned theoretical invisible way ! Even the end's sentimental situation looked fake with some line that didn't have much persuasion behind it so I could buy it anyway ! The major irony is super though it would've been better if the lead's character was animal hater, too pompous arrogant, selfish villainous who'll going to be redeemed by the events! So speaking of ironies I think the biggest of them all is that you have (Murray) with some trained lovely (Vera) through 3000 miles coast to coast 5-dayes odyssey and there isn't more than one laugh along the way !??? What a failure ! This movie got the very little, very cursory to present : touching moments (the elephant picks up tenderly the funny nose of her dead friend), comic time (Murray trying to choke McConaughey out of tedium), thrilling situations (the truck's one, and maybe the climax) and, sadly more than surprisingly, that was it ! As my review's title says, it didn't want to be a movie about characters, or character ! It didn't make much in area comic movies like (Any Which Way You Can - 1980) made a lot in it, and it's nothing like the polished peaceful family adventures that Disney produces yearly (at least they're meaningful !). So it was poor, tasteless, BLA BLA BLA, or wait a minute.. It really worked on that level, the level of making a good BLA BLA BLA ! All in all.. The only Larger Than Life thing in this movie was its title !

This was okay, but really a bit disappointing because I expected more laughs. Considering the storyline and the lead actor (Bill Murray), it should have been a lot funnier than it turned out to be. Only part of this made me really laugh, such as when Murray lost control of his semi and was speeding down the road at a weird angle. (You have to see it, to appreciate it.)The supporting cast was anything but likable people. Just look at a sampling of the names: Matthew McConaughey, Janeane Garofalo and Linda Fiorentino. Yecch! McConaughey's role in here as "Tip Tucker" was just downright annoying. He was the worst. Other that those people, the movie had some charming moments but overall it is not recommended. It's another Disney flop.

How big is an elephant's heart? Just big enough to fill the amount of 'heart' poured into this great film. Because the casting director was brilliant enough to hire the superiorly (that's not a word, but i don't care! :p) brilliant comedian (who has kept his comedic roots - HE MAKES PPL LAUGH! - rather than go all 'im so special artsy iconoclastic' type) Bill Murray (who plays Jack Corcoran, the son of a professional clown - D'OH! how perfect is that?!? Bill is a comedian, clown, father, son... get it? I don't.) who fills the role perfectly. If it was _anybody_else_ in this role it would have been only a "family" movie and not be worth watching unless your kid is watching it. But because of Mr. Murray, this movie takes off. All the comedy is his, and it's all funny. Kids will like this also because it has an elephant in it.Kudos to every other actor who played smaller parts:Blockhead - Pat HingleTip Tucker (luny as a jaybird) - Matthew McConaughey (Matthew gets an extra set of kudos b/c his performance was over the top. Murray's ride with him is hilarious)Mo - Janeane GarofaloTerry - Linda FiorentinoLawyer - Harve PresnellTrain Conductor - Keith DavidJunkyard Guy - Greg Lewis, andlast but not least,dear sweet Vera,played by Tal. :)Every time I see it it always brings a tear to my eye and manages to tug on my heart. I see it every time it comes out on TV.-Zafoid

The story of 'Larger Than Life' is a by-the-numbers buddy/road affair with an elephant, and as such there is little to recommend it. What it does have, however, is Bill Murray. He makes even the most uninspired material funny -- even when he's not really trying as here.'Larger Than Life' does have its funny moments (Murray's spoof of motivational speakers stands out), and it is worth sitting through a TV showing of it. All in all, it's not much more than an inoffensive family comedy.