Big Bad Love

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Big Bad Love ★★ 2002 (R)

Howard's ambitious directorial debut is an adaptation of the short stories of Larry Brown. Vietnam vet and wouldbe writer Leon Barlow's (Howard), obsession with writing about his constant melancholy and getting his stories published alienates him from everything around him, especially his family, which includes his terminally ill daughter. He seems to get away with his behavior through his wry wit and some past misfortunes. Howard gives in to his most poetic and literary impulses, which results in some breathtaking scenes alongside some annoyingly selfindulgent ones. Not surprisingly, film is uneven, with some quality performances lifting the proceedings. 111m/C VHS, DVD . Arliss Howard, Debra Winger, Paul LeMat, Angie Dickinson, Rosanna Arquette, Michael Parks; D: Arliss Howard; W: Arliss Howard, Jim Howard; C: Paul Ryan; M: Tom Waits; V: Sigourney Weaver.