Big Drive

2011’s “Big Drive”, written and directed by Anita Lebeau.

What is it about?

“Big Drive” is an animated short film about a family of 6 in Manitoba, Canada (go NFB!), whom go on a road trip. Mostly absent from the narrative (except as the silent partners who drive and sit in the front of the car) are the parents, along with their very imaginative 4 school aged children. They hit the road, and go through the various stages of journeying. From apprehension to boredom to rage over how your sister is pulling your hair to unpredictable bathroom breaks, they go through it all.

Why is it worth seeing?

Anybody who’s ever been on a road trip with multiple young children (but not too young that they just sleep the whole time) will instantly connect with the depiction of 4 sisters in the back seat trying to amuse themselves while trying not to start WWIII with their siblings. But as the drive drags on, the lack of space between the siblings becomes a creative launching pad for their fertile imaginations, as they create scenarios depicted here that are collaborative and wholesome (and at times almost psychedelic in their creativity and brightness).

“BD” is a movie about the way life changes, and just when we think we’ve adapted, how it will change again. But it’s also a heartfelt memorial to the family trips that most people (who are blessed enough to have a family to go with) have taken, for better or worse. The late comedian Bill Hicks once said that instead of going on vacation with their families, that it would be more productive for families to just take LSD together. In any case, “BD” smartly celebrates the resiliency of children. While it’s animation could use some improvement (check out the cat pawing at a flat dragonfly, or the distracting use of both photo realistic imagery with the animation), “BD” is a very short, cute, and pleasant ride.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here (It's 9 minutes long, here's the entire movie).