TV Times

TV Times

Bouncing Big in Hawaii
By Harinda Vidanage
The Hawaiian North Shore is the surfing Mecca of the world, its geography offering seven miles of the best surfing spots imaginable including its three most famous breaks. This is the perfect setting for another of Leonard’s novels to be converted into the big screen. This movie is also an attempt to give much credit to Big Bounce of Elmore Leonard, which was earlier, a total cine flop.

Dubbed “The Dickens of Detroit” by Time magazine, Leonard addresses his fascination for dialogue by saying “I have genuine affection for the people in my books, and I think that’s what makes them come alive. I’ve always liked novels with a lot of dialogue. I think the way a character speaks reveals his attitude and personality. Perhaps I am naturally a good listener.”

Readers worldwide have enjoyed Leonard’s stories for more than forty years, starting with his Western-themed novels in the early 1950s and segueing into his signature crime fiction with the 1969 novel “The Big Bounce”.

Thirty-five of his nearly 40 books have been produced or optioned as movies, most notably the award-winning black comedy Get Shorty, about a Miami loan shark with aspirations for the movie business; the crime caper comedy Out of Sight, in which people from opposite sides of the law fall in love; and writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s stylish Jackie Brown, based on the Leonard novel Rum Punch, rich with scams, double-crosses and unlikely attractions.

The Big Bounce features a load of acclaimed Hollywood talent including Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman and Charlie Sheen. The story line goes, Owen Wilson playing Jack Ryan, a likeable drifter whose talents lie just outside the law. Hoping a change of scenery will bring him luck, Jack heads for Hawaii. There on the exotic North Shore of Oahu, he soon discovers that whether he is looking for a new con job or a little romance, temptation is everywhere. Jack takes a job working construction for Ray Ritchie (Gary Sinise), a shady real estate developer who is building a resort despite protests by local Hawaiians.

Almost immediately it is knockout time, as he run-in with Ray Ritchie’s foreman, Lou Harris (Vinnie Jones), and takes him out with a Slugger. Bob Jr. played by Platoon GI Charlie Sheen, Ritchies right-hand man, warns Jack to get off the island if he knows what’s good for him. Jack happily ignores Bob Jr. Though he makes a few enemies on this run demonstrating his knockout ability, North Shore District Judge Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman) offers him a job while taking an unusually keen interest in his past crimes and uncertain future. Then enter Nancy Hayes (Sara Foster), a thrill-loving local who specializes in good looks and petty crime.

When Nancy tries to seduce Jack into helping her double-cross Ray Ritchie and steal $200,000 of his payoff money, Jack is intrigued, but hesitant. This could be the perfect score, or the perfect setup.

The contribution of the cast has made this movie a success and freed it from the 1969 mishap. “Owen’s a leading man that women from 18 to 80 just adore, and guys feel like he’s someone they could hang with,” attests executive producer Brent Armitage. “It’s a winning combination.” “He’s a smart, fun, versatile actor who’s convincing whether he’s getting knocked around with Jackie Chan or bouncing one-liners off of Ben Stiller,” adds executive producer Zane Weiner. “He has an uncanny ability to balance the light and dark sides of a character and still seem accessible

For Freeman, who has earned numerous awards and critical acclaim for portraying a diverse range of characters in a stellar career spanning more than 30 years, credibility is key. “If I can’t believably see myself as that person, I cannot imagine an audience would see me as believable either, and if that illusion is broken then you may as well forget about it,” he says. So Hawaii it is and let the fun begin.

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