The Big Bounce (2004)

Interesting facts

• Based on: The Big Bounce
• Filmed in: Hawaii

The Big Bounce is a 2004 American heist comedy film starring Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Sara Foster and Morgan Freeman. It was directed by George Armitage in his final directing role. It is based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. Leonard's novel had previously been adapted for the big screen in a 1969 film of the same name directed by Alex March and starring Ryan O'Neal.

Production

George Armitage was given a copy of Sebastian Gutirrez's script by Steve Bing, who became a producer on the film.

The Big Bounce, the book, when you break it down, is basically an act and a half. It's not a real three acts. So you're going to have to add half of the picture. So right away you're in trouble with somebody like Elmore, who I considered to be an absolutely brilliant writer. So he worked on the script with me, he gave me notes, and the notes are classic, they're great. —George Armitage

The setting for the film was moved from the Thumb area of Michigan, where the novel was set, to the North Shore of Oahu. The film was shot on location in Hawaii.

On the first day of pre-production, Armitage was hit in the eye with a piece of lava rock and contracted a virus. The director came down with an infection with two weeks left to shoot and had to go to the hospital, shutting down production, with Armitage commenting that, "Fortunately it was right at Christmas, so it turned into a Christmas break that we hadn't planned on, and I completed the picture afterwards."

Armitage says that despite this the film was very pleasant. "Now, being in Hawaii was probably a great deal of that. But it was just an extraordinary experience, and I credit the producer, Steve Bing, with that. He put up his own money, and I think he had $250,000 in bar bills, just picking up drinks for the crew and cast for all that time. So he couldn't have been more wonderful."

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