{"id":78555,"date":"2021-12-10T18:45:19","date_gmt":"2021-12-11T01:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78555"},"modified":"2021-12-11T09:49:06","modified_gmt":"2021-12-11T16:49:06","slug":"big-fix-the-1978","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78555","title":{"rendered":"Big Fix, The (1978)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You&#8217;ve gotten pretty cynical, haven&#8217;t you, Moses?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster-203x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-78557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster-203x300.png 203w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster-692x1024.png 692w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster-86x128.png 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster-182x270.png 182w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Poster.png 741w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA one-time &#8217;60s radical turned private eye (Richard Dreyfuss) teams up with a former lover (Susan Anspach) to investigate smear tactics being used against a gubernatorial candidate (John Cunningham).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bonnie Bedelia Films<\/li>\n<li>Counterculture<\/li>\n<li>Detectives and Private Eyes<\/li>\n<li>Richard Dreyfuss Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nRichard Dreyfuss co-produced and starred in this L.A.-based detective flick centering on a formal student radical named Moses Wine. Moses accepts jobs as they come, often taking his two young sons with him on his work adventures across the city: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78611\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Beach-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but otherwise sitting alone in his apartment gambling, smoking weed, listening to music, watching T.V., or playing &#8220;Clue&#8221; to keep his sleuthing wits sharp. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Clue-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Roger L. Simon&#8217;s screenplay &#8212; based on <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Roger_L._Simon#The_Big_Fix\">his own novel<\/a> &#8212; does an excellent job portraying the sense of nostalgia and confusion felt by many Baby Boomers once the headiest days of protest were over. We learn that Moses drifted into a marriage that has since devolved, with his ex-wife (Bonnie Bedelia) now dating an obnoxious New Age man (Ron Rifkin) involved in a group called BEST (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Erhard_Seminars_Training\">sound like &#8220;EST&#8221;, anyone?<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-EST-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Moses feels a sense of rejuvenation when he meets up with a former flame (Anspach) who convinces him to take a job: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78603\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Anspach-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but things soon turn very dark, leading Moses on a labyrinthine journey across various portions of Los Angeles. (The film&#8217;s sense of place and time is spot-on; I quickly found myself counting how many locations I could recognize &#8212; and there were quite a few.) <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Phone-Booth-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In true form for such a tale, we&#8217;re not always entirely sure what&#8217;s going on and who various characters are, but we get the gist, and it all eventually coheres. The diverse supporting cast is nicely filled out, with John Lithgow as Cunningham&#8217;s mysterious campaign manager: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Lithgow-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and F. Murray Abraham playing a notorious former radical: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Abraham-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Watch also for Mandy Patinkin in a bit role (his big-screen debut) as a bumbling pool cleaner: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Patinkin-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s not must-see viewing, this well-made film moves along at an engaging pace and will certainly appeal to fans of private eye flicks.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Richard Dreyfuss as Moses Wine<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss2-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine supporting performances<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Dreyfuss-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78615\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Prison-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Excellent use of many authentic L.A. locales<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-Stairs-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural.png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-Mural-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A..png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A..png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-78604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A..png 512w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Fix-L.A.-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s worth a look. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0077233\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/the-big-fix\/review\/2030038760\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve gotten pretty cynical, haven&#8217;t you, Moses?&#8221; Synopsis: A one-time &#8217;60s radical turned private eye (Richard Dreyfuss) teams up with a former lover (Susan Anspach) to investigate smear tactics being used against a gubernatorial candidate (John Cunningham). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bonnie Bedelia Films Counterculture Detectives and Private Eyes Richard Dreyfuss Films Review: Richard Dreyfuss co-produced and starred in this L.A.-based detective flick centering on a formal student radical named Moses Wine. Moses accepts jobs as they come, often&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78555\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=78555"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78630,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78555\/revisions\/78630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}