Chasing the Birds

The Big Year packs together three of the funniest Hollywood stars in a mildly mirthful spoof of “competitive birding”—a strange contest between avid birdwatchers for spotting the greatest number of the winged creatures in a one-year period. Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson play miss-matched rivals whose shared obsession compels them to travel any length to spot the black-footed albatross or the great spotted woodpecker. Director David Frankel went for the jugular in his depiction of another odd subculture in The Devil Wears Prada. The Big Year, however, generates few laugh out loud moments from its impressive cast but maintains a genial mood of good natured amusement. The Big Year is out on DVD.