Big Trouble

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Big Trouble Theatrical Release Poster Country United States Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld Release Date 2002 Language English Studio Touchstone Pictures Distributor Buena Vista Pictures Main Cast Character Actor Eliot Arnold Tim Allen Anna Herk Rene Russo Arthur Herk Stanley Tucci Snake Dupree Tom Sizemore Eddie Leadbetter Johnny Knoxville Henry DeSalvo Dennis Farina Leonard Ferroni Jack Kehler Monica Romero Janeane Garofalo Walter Kramitz Patrick Warburton Puggy Jason Lee

Big Trouble is a 2002 comedy-thriller directed and produced by Barry Sonnenfeld (Get Shorty and the Men in Black franchise), based on Dave Barry's debut novel of the same name. Set in Miami, Florida, the film depicts the madcap whirl of events when the lives of several of its residents intersect: ad agency owner Eliot (Tim Allen), unhappy housewife Anna (Rene Russo), their teenage children (Ben Foster and Zooey Deschanel), Anna's lecherous embezzler of a husband (Stanley Tucci), a homeless man who resembles Jesus (Jason Lee), two freelance hit men (Dennis Farina and Jack Kehler) and a mysterious suitcase. Russo and Farina had both previously appeared in Get Shorty, and Kehler, Johnny Knoxville and Patrick Warburton all had small roles in Men in Black II, which was released in the same year.

It is also noteworthy for being the first feature film appearance of Sofía Vergara.

Big Trouble was originally scheduled for release in September 2001, but its release was delayed for a year because of its unfortunate resemblance to the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Most notably, the film faithfully depicts the climactic scene from the novel in which airport security officers are so fixated on checking passengers' luggage for laptops and other electronic devices, that it is actually quite easy for the film's antagonist to smuggle not only a handgun, but also a miniature nuclear bomb, aboard an airplane.

The following weapons were used in the film Big Trouble:

Remington 700PSS

Upon arriving in Miami, hit man Leonard (Jack Kehler) trips outside the airport and a hunting rifle goes flying out of his golf bag. Eliot (Tim Allen) describes the weapon in voice-over as a "Remington 30-06 hunting rifle with a Bushnell scope. Charlton Heston takes his to shoot bighorn elk."

Remington 700PSS with Leupold Mark 4 scope and Harris bipod - .300 Win Mag

A freeze-frame of the Remington 700PSS as it goes flying out of Leonard's (Jack Kehler) golf bag. The passer-bys' nonchalant expressions indicate this is a commonplace occurrence at Miami International Airport.

The rifle falls to the pavement alongside Leonard's golf clubs.

Henry (Dennis Farina) takes aim with the rifle. Leonard has his ears covered, but strangely, when Henry fires, the shot sounds suppressed, though there is no suppressor attached to the rifle's barrel.

Puggy (Jason Lee) grabs the rifle off the ground after jumping Henry.

"We don't shoot someone soon, I'm gonna forget how."
Leonard holds the rifle during the duo's second attempt to assassinate Arthur Herk (Stanley Tucci).

A shot of the rifle fallen to the pavement as Leonard (again) trips outside the airport.

Instead of arresting Henry and Leonard, or confiscating the rifle, Officer Monica (Janeane Garofalo) simply picks it up and removes the bolt, rendering it useless.

"Gentlemen."
Officer Monica bids Henry and Leonard goodbye, dropping the rifle to the ground while holding on to the bolt.

SIG-Sauer P226

Miami Police Officers Romero (Janeane Garofalo) and Kramitz (Patrick Warburton) are both armed with SIG-Sauer P226 pistols.

West German SIG-Sauer P226 - 9x19mm. This is a real movie gun and has appeared in several motion pictures.

"Slowly."
Officer Monica Romero (Janeane Garofalo) enters the Herk home with her pistol drawn.

"Freeze!"
Officer Walter Kramitz (Patrick Warburton) follows Romero in.

"Police!" Monica aims her pistol at Andrew (DJ Qualls) after seeing him running with a revolver.

Walter points his own weapon at Andrew.

After disarming Monica and Walter, Snake (Tom Sizemore) wears their gun belts over his shoulders while brandishing his own revolver.

Smith & Wesson Model 36

While talking on a payphone, Henry (Dennis Farina) is approached by some Latin gang members and casually pulls what appears to be a Nickel Smith & Wesson Model 36 from an ankle holster. During the shooting scene at the mall, security guard and cop wannabe Jack Pendick (Andy Richter) pulls what appears to be the same model revolver and shoots wildly at Matt (Ben Foster) and Jenny (Zooey Deschanel), having mistaken Matt's squirt gun for a real firearm (which, as Matt later remarks, only a "moron" would do). However, he trips during his shooting spree and his revolver falls to the ground, where it is scooped up by Matt's friend Andrew (DJ Qualls).

Nickel Smith & Wesson Model 36 - .38 Special

"Not right now, okay?"
Henry (Dennis Farina) calmly points his gun at the gang members approaching him.

Jack Pendick (Andy Richter) proudly shows a trainee (Jonathan Kasdan) his revolver. When the trainee points out that they are not supposed to be armed while on duty, Jack proudly says they are not supposed to be drinking while on duty either, and takes a swig from a flask bottle.

"Freeze!"
Pendick runs at Matt, Jenny, and Andrew, shooting wildly.

Walter (Patrick Warburton) holds the revolver as Pendick proudly identifies it as his, then quickly denies having been drinking.

Browning M1919

When Arthur's boss William Spaulding (Antoni Corone) enters their company's boardroom, a Browning M1919 machine gun is mounted on the conference table, apparently for decorative purposes (in the book, Arthur's employer, a construction firm, is stockpiling weapons because it is one of many entities in Miami planning to mount a coup d'etat in Cuba as soon as Fidel Castro is dead).

Browning M1919A4 on an M2 tripod, pre 1943 model with bolt latch - .30-06 Springfield

Spaulding (Antoni Corone) addresses the board from behind the machine gun.

Colt M1911

Matt Arnold (Ben Foster) tries to squirt Jenny Herk (Zooey Deschanel) with a plastic water pistol that closely resembles a Colt M1911 with a water tank mounted on top of it. Later, when the Herk home is invaded, Eliot (Tim Allen) grabs the squirt gun and removes the tank, trying to improve its resemblance to a real firearm. FBI Agent Greer (Heavy D) smashes in the window of an obnoxious driver's Humvee with what appears to be a nickel-plated M1911 in order to commandeer the vehicle; it is never fired.

Original Colt M1911 (dated 1913) - .45 ACP

Elliot (Tim Allen) threatens Eddie (Johnny Knoxville) with Matt's (modified) squirt gun.

A close-up of the squirt gun being held to Eddie's head, showing its close resemblance to a M1911.

Satin Nickel M1911A1 - .45 ACP. Manufactured on license by Remington Rand - nickel plated later by its owner.

Agent Greer (Heavy D) cocks his arm to smash in the obnoxious driver's window with his pistol.

A shot of the pistol as the window shatters.

Beretta 92F

FBI Agent Seitz (Omar Epps) casually shoots arms dealer Ivan/John (Daniel London) in the foot with his sidearm, a Beretta 92F.

Beretta 92F - 9x19mm.

Agent Seitz (Omar Epps) casually wipes his brow with his gun hand, giving the arms dealers a look at his pistol.