Larger Than Life * (1996, Bill Murray, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew McConaughy, Linda Fiorentino, Keith David, Pat Hingle, Jeremy Piven, Harve Presnell, Lois Smith) – Classic Movie Review 13,364

Bill Murray stars in director Howard Franklin’s silly 1996 road comedy film Larger Than Life as a motivational speaker who inherits an elephant from his father.

Bill Murray stars in director Howard Franklin’s silly 1996 American road comedy film Larger Than Life as motivational speaker Jack Corcoran, who inherits an elephant from his father and is torn between selling the darn thing to a loud and rude San Diego zookeeper called Mo (Janeane Garofalo) or an attractive animal show trainer named Terry Bonura (Linda Fiorentino).

The laughs come thin and slow in this elephantine comedy that wouldn’t even stay in an elephant’s memory. A lot of talent here is struggling: Murray is sourly funny when the script allows him to be, and Fiorentino is attractive, but Garofalo and Matthew McConaughy (as fast-talking paranoid trucker Tip Tucker) are wasted in little more than cameos.

Director Franklin doesn’t show the surefooted touch needed to make such easy comedy viewing fluff work. Even four-ton Vera the elephant (played by Tai) lacks charm, though she gives a weighty performance!

The talented cast include Bill Murray, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew McConaughy, Linda Fiorentino, Keith David, Pat Hingle, Jeremy Piven, Harve Presnell, Lois Smith, Tracey Walter and Maureen Mueller. How could it go so wrong? It’s mainly a script problem (screenplay written by Pen Densham, Garry Williams and Roy Blount Jr).

It was partly shot in Professor Valley and Green River City in Utah.

The score is by Miles Goodman (August 27, 1948 – August 16, 1996), who died two months before the film’s release.

The film flopped: Budget: $30 million. Box office: $8.3 million.

Release date: November 1, 1996.

The cast

The cast include Bill Murray as Jack Corcoran, Janeane Garofalo as Mo, Matthew McConaughey as Tip Tucker, Keith David as Hurst, Pat Hingle as Vernon, Jeremy Piven as Walter, Lois Smith as Luluna, Anita Gillette as Vera Corcoran, Maureen Mueller as Celeste, Harve Presnell as Trowbridge Bowers, Tracey Walter as Wee St Francis, Linda Fiorentino as Terry Bonura, Tony Funderburg as Charlie, and Tai as Vera.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,364

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