Themes: Writer's Life, Crumbling Marriages, Breakups and Divorces
Main Cast: Arliss Howard, Debra Winger, Paul Le Mat, Rosanna Arquette, Angie Dickinson
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 111 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Actor Arliss Howard made his debut as a director with this emotional drama adapted from a handful of short stories by Larry Brown. Barlow (Arliss Howard) is a deeply troubled Vietnam veteran who has been chasing a career as a writer, with little success; when he isn't struggling with his typewriter, he's usually drinking, and his wild mood swings and alcoholic fits of rage have driven away his wife Marilyn (Debra Winger), who has taken their son Alan (Zach Moody) and daughter Alisha (Olivia Kersey) with her. Barlow would like to see his children, but Marilyn refuses to allow it until he catches up on his alimony and child support payments; one of Barlow's few loyal friends, Monroe (Paul LeMat), a buddy from his Army days, is able to get him work as a house painter. With steady paychecks, Barlow is finally able to clear his debts to Marilyn, but she refuses to acknowledge that he's made much progress in turning his life around, and he doesn't get much more emotional support from his ailing mother (Angie Dickinson) or his friend Velma (Rosanna Arquette). Big Bad Love marked the second screen pairing for husband-and-wife Arliss Howard and Debra Winger; it was also Winger's first screen appearance in six years. Acclaimed songwriter Tom Waits composed the film's original score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Michael Parks - Mr. Aaron; Alex Van - Deputy; R.L. Burnside - Himself; Jo Ann Robinson - One Night Stand; Sigourney Weaver - Betti Deloreo; Gloria Winters - Mrs. Shepard; Larry Brown - Mr. Barlow; Michael Williamson - Young Barlow; Coleman Barks - Minister; Edwin P. Hicks - Judge; Zach Moody - Alan; Olivia Kersey - Alisha; Kevin Mitchell - Twin #1; Sue Peavey - Cindy; Kenneth Carter - Nurse; Melody Wilson - Young Mrs. Barlow; Preston Duke - Farmer; Jacob McAnally - Farmer's Son; Ian McAnally - Farmer's Son; Bob Muse - Lost Freezer Guy; Cool Man - Himself; Kenny Brown - Boxcar Marine/R. L.'s Band; Christie Jackson - Betti Deloreo; Reginald Wilson - Boy Athlete; Johnny McPhail - Mop Guy; Jaymee Vowel - Rebuffing Woman; L. Jay Mckinney - Geranium Drunk; Cedric Burnside - R. L.'s Band; Matt Mitchell - Twin #2
Credit
Penny Perry - Casting, Bob Johnston - Co-producer, Thomas S. Dawson - Costume Designer, Pat Norris - Costume Designer, Karen Collins - First Assistant Director, Arliss Howard - Director, Jay Rabinowitz - Editor, Arliss Howard - Executive Producer, Debra Winger - Executive Producer, Manfred Wilde - Executive Producer, Barry Navidi - Executive Producer, Tom Waits - Composer (Music Score), Joe Mulherin - Musical Direction/Supervision, Tom Waits - Songwriter, Pat Norris - Production Designer, Paul Ryan - Cinematographer, Debra Winger - Producer, Leslie Morales - Set Designer, Steve Aaron - Sound/Sound Designer, Chris Howell - Stunts Coordinator, Larry Brown - Screen Story, Arliss Howard - Screenwriter, James Howard - Screenwriter, Gary Scott - First Assistant Camera, Dayton Nietert - Gaffer, Wayne David Parker - Key Grip, Nancy Mosher Hall - Production Coordinator, Tony Schwartz - Second Assistant Director, Mike Weesner - Special Effects Coordinator, Dave Paterson - Supervising Sound Editor, Keith Cox - Construction Coordinator, Wendy Price - Production Accountant
Big Bad Love shares its title and characters with those in Mississippi writer Larry Brown's short story collection. The main character is an unsuccessful alcoholic writer, motivated by desire for his estranged wife (played by Debra Winger) and the urging of his Vietnam War buddy Monroe (played by Paul Le Mat) to continue to write. He is angry, yet hopeful that he will sell a story. When tragedy strikes a close friend and his daughter, Leon is forced to rethink his way of life.
Reception
New York Times reviewer By A. O. Scott wrote, "For every moment of breathtaking strangeness -- as when Leon, after a road accident, awakens in a field of kudzu strewn with manuscript pages -- there is an overly stylized scene in which literary self-consciousness suffocates lived reality", "(the film) is a self-indulgent celebration of self-indulgence".[1] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Howard's Big Bad Love bewilders -- a whole lot of opulent Southern atmosphere about some stunted, opaque characters".[2] Ken Fox of TV Guide writes "The film's few saving graces include Dickinson's sardonic southern belle; Winger's welcome return to the screen after a five-year absence; and Howard's voice-over readings of Brown's powerful prose, which ultimately saves the film from itself."[3], while Rachel Gordon of Filmcritic wrote, "For his feature debut as director, Howard impressively mixes fantasy sequences with the depressing reality of pushing creativity as hard as you can against a tide of guilt"[4], and Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Big Bad Love is brave and admirable for the trust that it puts in a viewer's intuition and willingness in going along with it right through to its rewarding finish."[5]
