Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish (1991)
Director: Ben Lewin
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Louis (Hoskins) earns his crust photographing devotional pictures in Paris, but his tyrannical boss (Blanc) has threatened the sack unless he can find the perfect model for Christ. All appears lost until he meets actress Sybil (Richardson), who sweeps him off his feet and straight into her muddled life: she's traumatised by an abortive affair with a grumpy pianist (Goldblum), who attempted to set fire to the last rival for her affections. Now released from prison, he's a changed man - morose, vengeful, and a dead ringer for Christ. Based on a Marcel Aymé short story, this 'surreal romantic comedy' stretches its ideas too far. Writer-director Lewin heightens language and gesture until the central relationship is rendered absurd; Goldblum broods menacingly and deludes himself that he really is Christ. The effect is dislocating.Author: CM
Cast & crew
Director: Ben Lewin
Producer: Michelle de Broca
Cast: Bob Hoskins, Jeff Goldblum, Natasha Richardson, Michel Blanc, Jacques Villeret, Angela Pleasence, Jean-Pierre Cassel full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 89 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
A Bond a day: No.7 'Diamonds Are Forever'
Join Time Out as we revisit the 21 official James Bond movies to celebrate the release of 'Quantum of Solace'
Steve McQueen on 'Hunger'
Dave Calhoun meets artist Steve McQueen’s whose debut feature film, ‘Hunger’, is the story of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands
Producer Stephen Woolley on ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’
Stephen Woolley, recalls the near catastrophes he had to contend with in bringing Toby Young’s memoir to the screen
Paul Newman: 1925 – 2008
Paul Newman died at his Connecticut home this weekend, at the age of 83. We look back at one of the great movie careers of the twentieth century
Richard Attenborough: interview
‘Entirely Up to You, Darling’ is the long-awaited autobiography from Sir Richard Attenborough. David Jenkins meets him in his Richmond home
Hard hacks to follow
To celebrate the release of 'How To Lose Friends and Alienate People', Time Out pick some of the toughest journalistic gigs in cinema
What do you think?
Post your review now