David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Mar 23, 2020 2/4

...generally feels like a short that's been awkwardly expanded to feature length...

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Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Mar 21, 2016 B

A genial and funny satire/comedy about an up-and-coming student filmmaker.

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Ralph Novak People Magazine Feb 2, 2016

Partly romance, partly fantasy, partly satire on what passes for life in Hollywood -- and all charm -- this movie even has a perfect title.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Feb 2, 2016

[A] hilariously canny 1989 satire about contemporary filmmaking in Hollywood.

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Variety Staff Variety Mar 11, 2009

Befitting two of the co-authors of This is Spinal Tap, Guest and Michael McKean, The Big Picture displays a keen eye for the silliness of film biz customs, lingo and attitudes.

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Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Apr 9, 2007 A

Sometimes hilarious, sometimes chilling anti-Hollywood comedy.

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Betsy Bozdech DVDJournal.com Nov 9, 2006 2.5/4

In the end, although Nick's journey is satisfying and often funny, it lacks the punch of Guest's later work.

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Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Sep 24, 2006 4/5

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Nigel Floyd Time Out Feb 9, 2006

The movie references may strike some as in-jokey, but Guest's likeable film has enough jaundiced sideswipes and lighter chuckles to see it through its slacker spells.

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Daniel Fienberg Zap2it.com Nov 20, 2005 3/5

Very slight, but it hits most of its Hollywood targets with a certain degree of savvy.

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Chuck O'Leary Fantastica Daily Oct 10, 2005 2/5

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Christopher Null Filmcritic.com Aug 30, 2005 4.5/5

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Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jun 26, 2005 3/5

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Vincent Canby New York Times Aug 30, 2004 3.5/5

A consistently genial, intermittently funny send-up of the current Hollywood scene as demonstrated by the rise and fall of an award-winning film student.

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Scott Weinberg Apollo Guide Oct 29, 2003 80/100

The Movie Machine is skewered and lampooned with an impressive accuracy, but it never crosses the line into becoming an outright bash.

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Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Aug 13, 2003 3/5

If only it was as clever as it believes itself to be.

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Jeffrey Westhoff Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) May 27, 2003 4/5

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Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Dec 30, 2002 3/5

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Brian J. Arthurs Beach Reporter (Southern California) Dec 19, 2002 3/5

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