Little Big Man

Starring:Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway
Directed by:Arthur Penn
Rating:PG-13
Genre:Western
1970

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: The only white survivor (Dustin Hoffman) of Custard's Last Stand at the Little Bighorn tells the tale of his life, from being adopted by Cheyenne Indians and later being reassimilated into white culture. The biggest question is- has he really lived this life, or is it all a big lie?

Review:

Tim: Dustin Hoffman makes this movie a decent watch. He is such an amazing actor, and gives an excellent performance here. Apparently, the hardest part was sounding like a 120 year old man, which I suppose he does an excellent job imititating.

Hoffman is great, and has help with a pretty good cast as well. The best supporting role is that of Faye Dunaway, who turns in a someone odd and humorous role. However, even her performance is overshadowed by Hoffman.

I should also mention that Little Big Man is actually a very funny film, too. Throughout the movie, there is a strange mix between drama and comedy. One moment you will be caught up in a dramatic monologue between Hoffman and his adopted Indian grandfather, and the next laughing because of some silly scene. It is actually a little strange having such powerful drama and lighthearted comedy mixed in. It works, though.

This is a good movie, but it is very long and somewhat drawn out. It felt like it was trying really hard to be epic, but at times you just wished it would be over. For that reason, this film is one that really should be a one-time viewing experience. You should see it for its classic status and Hoffman's incredible performance, but I'd never recommend purchasing your own copy. Throughout much of the film, probably because of the mix of drama and comedy, you don't really know what to think about the movie. In some ways, that is original and clever, but in others, it causes you to not take the film as seriously as you otherwise might have. It's worth a look, however.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5
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Final Rating: -


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Tootsie, Runaway Jury, Rain Man, The Grapes of Wrath, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly