THE BIG EASY (1986) (A-minus) - Movies don't get much more fun than this deep dive into Cajun high jinks. Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin are a lot of fun as a local homicide lieutenant and district attorney, respectively, who are on opposite sides of the law but have an undeniable attraction.
Quaid is Remy McSwain, who counts police corruption as a heritage. Barkin is Anne Osborne is a fish out of water trying to keep track of the corruption that is rampant in the New Orleans police department. Remy has a boyish charm that is hard to resist, even if he is forever on the take and looking the other way as mobsters massacre each other. Anne is determined to get to the bottom of the cause of the pileup of bodies, but she tends to be distracted by Remy and his washboard abs.
The supporting cast has a blast wallowing in the Cajun culture. Grace Zabriskie is captivating as Remy's mom; Charles Ludlam as the rascally pint-sized defense attorney; John Goodman as a detective who carries an arsenal of weapons; Ned Beatty as the retiring cop who dates Mama; and soul singer Solomon Burke as one of the gang leaders. And then there's the soundtrack. I'm pretty sure I wore out my CD back in the day. From the Dixie Cups' "Iko Iko" to Buckwheat Zydeco's "Ma 'Tit Fille," plus Professor Longhair, Aaron Neville and BeauSoleil, the sounds are infectious and embedded in the narrative.
You might argue that the local references to New Orleans culture is a tad overdone, as Hollywood likes to do. And the carpet-baggers do lay the accents and Mardi Gras references on thick. But the story is a juicy one, with nods to classic corruption capers, and everyone has so much fun chewing on the dialogue. It's funny and has heart. And Quaid and Barkin are hard to resist. This comes from writer-director Jim McBride ("David Holzman's Diary," "Breathless"), who co-wrote the snappy script with Daniel Petrie Jr. ("Beverly Hills Cop") and Jack Baran ("Great Balls of Fire").
BONUS TRACKS
Some samplings from "The Big Easy" soundtrack, starting with Buckwheat Zydeco:
"Iko Iko":
Professor Longhair with "Tipitina":
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