Big Stan (2007)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Rob Schneider

Writer (WGA):

Josh Lieb (written by)

Release Date:

6 June 2008 (Kazakhstan)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

The cell block just got a new bully.... a small one.

Plot:

A weak con man panics when he learns he's going to prison for fraud. He hires a mysterious martial arts guru who helps transform him into a martial arts expert who can fight off inmates who want to hurt or love him.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Fraud | Fight | Gang | Con

Cast

Rob Schneider	...	Big Stan
David Carradine	...	The Master
Jennifer Morrison	...	Mindy
Scott Wilson	...	Warden Gasque
Richard Kind	...	Mal
Sally Kirkland	...	Madame Foreman
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Lew Popper
Henry Gibson	...	Shorts
Jackson Rathbone	...	Robbie
Kevin Gage	...	Bullard
Bob Sapp	...	Big Raymond
Brandon T. Jackson	...	Deshawn (as Brandon Jackson)
Big Spence	...	Diamond King #2 (as Big Spence)
Richard Riehle	...	Judge Perry
Marcia Wallace	...	Alma

MPAA:

Rated R for crude and sexual content, and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

UK:15 | Singapore:M18 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | USA:R | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Spain:18 | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:R-12 | Australia:MA (DVD) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Mexico:B15 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 (nf) | New Zealand:R16 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Stockton, California, USA

Company:

From Out of Nowhere Productions

Trivia:

Rob Schneider collapsed secondary to heat exhaustion and food poisoning when soaring temperatures on the set left him struggling to keep up with filming.

Quotes:

Big Stan: [on phone] Don't you ever find yourself feeling sorry for anybody?
The Master: [on other line] You might as well ask me if I feel sorry for the maggots I grind into my morning coffee.

Movie Connections:

References The Karate Kid (1984)

Soundtrack:

What You Want Nigga

Better than usual for Schneider

Considering he's done The Animal and Deuce Bigalow 1 and 2, I wasn't expecting much from Schneider's Big Stan, especially since this is his directorial debut. I did not know much going into the theatre, except what I saw in the trailer.

Much to my surprise this turned out to be an OK waste of time, but nothing more. It's just another prison comedy, with a small twist. The incarcerated main character has 6 months to prepare for "doin' time".

It's nice to see Carradine pop up here and there parodying his other kung fu related works, and this time sending an anti-smoking message while consuming a life time supply of cigarettes. All through the movie I kept trying to remember where do I know the actress that plays Rob's wife from. Then it hit me. None other than Jennifer Morrison of House M.D.. She looked hot in this movie, but I feel she should make better choices in the future.

All in all a decent comedy, a better than expected, but shaky, direction from Schneider. This should be perfect for a weekend afternoon once it comes out on DVD.