The Big Squeal: A messy, silly relic of a different era

Is it worth a watch?

Honestly, only if you are a completionist for 1930s shorts or just have a weird soft spot for Andy Clyde’s brand of flustered comedic energy. If you are looking for something that holds up in terms of modern pacing or, you know, not feeling like a relic, you will probably hate it. It’s a very specific kind of creaky.

The whole thing is built on a misunderstanding so thin you could practically see through it. Andy Wilson is a millionaire pig farmer—which is a sentence I didn't expect to write today—wandering around town trying to win back his old flame, Natalie. Then there is the buddy, Jake, who leaves his wife, Betty, in Andy's care. It is the kind of setup that feels like it belongs in a textbook for 'How to make a 1930s comedy sketch,' and not in a good way.

The pacing is a bit all over the place. One minute we are talking about Kansas stockyards, and the next, we are trapped in a bedroom scene that feels like it’s being held together by duct tape and hope. The way the characters just sort of slide in and out of the room is almost funny, but in that way where you are laughing at the movie, not with it. 🤡

I couldn't stop looking at the way they framed the bedroom. It’s so stagey. You can almost see the ghosts of the theater set designer lurking in the shadows of the chaise lounge. It reminded me a little bit of the chaotic energy in I Do, though honestly, that one had a bit more spark to its madness.

Andy Clyde is doing a lot of heavy lifting here with his face. He has this look of constant, mild panic that is actually kind of endearing. He’s a guy who just wants to be a pig farmer, and instead, he’s stuck in a bedroom with a woman in silk pajamas who clearly has different ideas. It’s a classic trope, but it’s played so straight that it feels slightly unhinged.

• The pig-calling champion subplot is never really used, which is a missed opportunity for actual comedy.
• The dialogue is mostly just people shouting exposition at each other.
• The hand sticking out of the door to shake Andy's hand? Easily the highlight of the first half.

It’s not exactly high art. If you are watching this, you are probably doing it because you’ve already seen They Learned About Women and need something else to fill the void. It’s not deep, it’s not particularly clever, but it sure is short. Sometimes, that’s all you really need.

Maybe it’s just me, but the whole thing feels like it needed one more pass at the script to make the 'betrayal' aspect actually land. As it stands, it’s just a lot of shuffling around and awkward glances. It’s fine for what it is, I guess. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. 🐷