Big Stan (2007)

Sorry, this movie sucks

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Big Stan (Rob Schneider) is arrested in the opening scene for fraud. He is sentenced to go to prison. Not wanting to be raped in jail, he hires "The Master" (David Carradine) to teach him how to fight. In 6 months our weakling Stan is converted into a fighting machine capable of defeating men several times his size and strength.In prison, Big Stan becomes the top dog and pacifies the inmates to the dismay of the warden. The humor consisted of stale prison jokes and pokes fun at Scientology. I found it rather lame and juvenile.F-bomb, brief nudity, crude sexual content.

However, I can't say, I hate this prison comedy directed and produced by Rob Schneider, who also starred in the film. It was more like a mixed bag for me. There were some parts that was honestly quite funny and entertaining. Yet, there were a lot of moments in the film, that wasn't. Written by Josh Lieb, the film tells the story of a real estate con artist named Stan Minton (Rob Schneider) who panics when he learns that he is going to prison for fraud. Fearing that, he might be rape by the other inmates, he trained himself in the martial arts in order to survive, only to find out that it's the people that run the big house that he needs to watch out for. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, I personally didn't find the jokes too offensive, but I did find the film, badly written. First off, the movie does overuse the 'male penetration' joke, way too much, that it become tiresome. Jokes about it, are recycle, throughout the film. It's annoying, how often, they bring it up. Honestly, the movie would had been a lot funnier, if he thought he would had been rape by these ruffians, only to discover, that the other inmates are civilize gentlemen who doesn't such things. It would make this movie stand out from other prison comedies. Something similar in the line of Rob Schneider's performance in 1993's 'Demolition Man'. Kinda like a fish out of water story. Just saying. Anyways, we don't really see, as the movie spent the first half, parodying martial arts movies like 1984's 'Karate Kid'. While, it was cool to see Stan, train with his mentor, the Master (David Carradine) and become a badass. I just disappointed that it goes in a snail pace. It takes forever for Stan to get to the prison. It's clear from the first half that this prison comedy, was really lacking in direction. The second half of the movie is way different from the first half with the evil warden subplot. It's seems like two different movies. Not only does it seem come out of nowhere, but the warden's action is so clichés. Can't we have a prison movie, with a good warden for once!? Because of this, I felt like, I was watching badly made comedy version of 1994's 'Shawshank Redemption' and 1967's 'Cool Hand Luke'. Yet, I do have to say, I like the appearance of actor, Scott Wilson. He's one of the best things about this movie. He's always great in showing seniority. However, his character's plan doesn't make sense. Wouldn't inciting a riot, be jail time!? Did he not think the prison board wouldn't do an investigation on it? Anyways, I found the 'get rich' plan somewhat stupid. Still, I have to say, the supporting cast that make up the inmates, were also very memorable. My favorite has to be, Bob Sapp as Big Raymond and Henry Gibson as Shorts. Even if they playing one-dimensional parody of characters, we seem before. Nevertheless, I really doubt in real life, the enemies of Stan would be friends with him toward the end, after trying to kill him, in the beginning of the film. It seems a little too unrealistic. Still, I did like how unlikeable Stan had a moral character arch in the film. It really did help, make this movie, somewhat watchable, because I really couldn't stand him, in the beginning. Also, it's nice to see Rob Schneider put some effect in learning, some Martial Arts moves and doing most of his own stunts. It's also nice to see David Carradine pop up here and there parodying his other Kung-Fu related works. I just wish, there was more of a reason on why he was helping Stan. His character seem to come, a bit out of nowhere. Other characters like M. Emmett Walsh as Stan's corrupt lawyer, Lew Popper and Jennifer Morrison as Stan's wife, Mindy was equally as fun to be with. Plus, the movie has a cameo of Rob's best friend, Adam Sandler that most people who watch the film, wouldn't probably notice, unless they saw his name on the credits. It's a small Easter egg. Overall: The offensive dark humor, mean-spirit jokes, crude sexual innuendo, racism and lewd language might turn some viewers away, but for me, it was meh. I saw worst in similar plots like 2016's 'Get Hard'. Still, I really can't recommended watching as the movie is highly pointless and stupid. It's no 2002's '25th hours'. Take this review as get out of jail free card and bypass watching this film.

Throughout "Big Stan" I was constantly thinking about "Dirty Work", the debut film of Rob Schneider's SNL colleague Norm MacDonald. There's one scene in "Dirty Work" where Norm has just been violated and gives the rapists a good talking to. Every time I hear him say "what hurts the most is the lack of respect" I just crack up, it's probably one of the funniest things ever done with the subject. Apparently Schneider also watched that scene and figured: hey, why not just do prison rape jokes for 105 minutes, preferably with fewer laughs than in that one minute of "Dirty Work"? The studio said okay for some reason, and so he got to make a movie that features an Asian rapist going "here's comes the egg roll!". An even bigger problem though is that Schneider insists on giving this the atmosphere of an underdog tale, even though his character has no redeeming qualities. He sorta kinda becomes a better person in the third act, but that doesn't make up for him not getting beaten to a bloody pulp in the first two. It's also quite amazing to see how quickly David Carradine lost momentum after "Kill Bill", just four years after his glorious comeback he was already back to parodying himself in embarrassing bit parts like this and "Epic Movie". Kind of sad to see a cult legend go out like that, it's not like "Big Stan" wasn't depressing enough.

Rob Schneider proved his mettle with this movie. Not only did he act with perfect comedic timing, but directed the flick as well!! I first started watching his work on SNL like everyone else, but grew to love it when he did "Deuce Bigalow" movies. Those movies I could watch over and over again and "Big Stan" is no different.For me, it takes true comedic talent to make me actually laugh out loud and Rob Schneider delivers. Every time.Having the late, great David Carradine in this flick is just priceless. Carradine also delivers perfectly as "The Master". He has always been a joy to watch. He proves he can do comedy as well as drama and action movies. Loved watching him in this and only made me sad at his passing all the more.I would really love to see more trivia on this great flick, but more comments as well.I recommend this movie to anyone who just wants to laugh!