The Big White (15)

Mar 24 2006 By Graham Young, Birmingham Mail

ROBIN Williams has enjoyed something of a parallel career with Steve Martin.

Yet although Williams has scooped four Oscar nominations and twice as many Golden Globe nods (12), his new movie is on limited cinema release while 60-year-old Martin sits unfairly on top of the box office thanks to the dire remake of The Pink Panther.

Both stars were in their early 30s when they made their silver screen breakthroughs in The Jerk (1979/Martin) and The World According to Garp (1982/Williams).

But it's Williams, now 54, who remains the one to watch despite several flops of his own.

Directed by Mark Mylod from TV's Shameless, The Big White is a likeable hoot.

Albeit one weakened dramatically by inevitable comparisons to the superior Fargo and by a messy final act which concludes rather tamely.

The journey is frequently fun, though, from the moment travel agent Paul Barnell (Williams) discovers he might have the ingredients he needs to pull off an insurance scam involving his brother Raymond (Woody Harrelson).

Back at home, Holly Hunter plays has considerable scope to do anything she likes as Paul's Tourettes' suffering wife Margaret. Post her Incredibles' voicework, the 1994 best actress Oscar winner for The Piano is a comedy revelation.