StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Mychaelus Intelligently crafted with wry humor throughout. Almost like a New Yorker cartoon in its portrayal of upper class follies. Anyone who has seen Basquiat, which is NOT a fanciful rendition of actual events, will recognize that The Next Big Thing basically keeps it real. It is not a crass lampoon of the art world, as other reviews allege, but a finely detailed imagining of how one accident might lead to another to produce a breakout artist. It plays out as a visualization of a funny story one might hear in conversation, with unlikely twists and turns - the sort of facts that make a true story actually funny. Surely the lives of actual artists who've broken into the big time involve a twist and turn here and there, a crazy accident that seems funny in retrospect (but which would have seemed agonizing to live out in real life). Anyone wondering if this movie is worth watching deserves to hear resoundingly that it really is worthwhile. It deserves a higher IMDb rating, and only suffers a sub 6 rating because it is so intelligently made that average viewers don't appreciate its fine subtleties.

Jasmin Gus has no luck selling his art, due to the fact that he has nothing to sell it with: he is neither homosexual nor crazy, he is not drug-addicted or troubled in any other way (besides being very unsuccessful as an artist). Good luck that there are thieves who turn into very gifted artist representatives, PIs who can fake identities and art critics who still recognize art when they see it. Really?? Besides my biggest question - what is the point of this story - I wonder why anyone would cast Chris Eigeman as a lead character??? He looks like my bookie and has the charisma of my shoe vendor next door. The movie reminds me to never ever watch movies made by NY intellectuals who cannot imagine any kind of normal world but always feel an urge to portray rich, intellectual or artistic people and their non-problems. Please refer to the just as non-appealing movie "Motherhood" (2009, starring Uma Thurman) to know what I mean.

vchimpanzee At the start of the movie, Deech, who looks homeless, is collecting money on a New York City subway, claiming he represents a charity that helps people in need. The truth is he is only helping himself. And this includes stealing wallets.One of Deech's victims is artist Gus Bishop, who is late for an appointment at the Pomposello Gallery. Gus has a job involving thousands of colorful files kept on numerous shelves, but that's not what he wants to spend his life doing. Still, Arthur Pomposello is not impressed with Gus' art. This is what Gus has been told many times.Deech sees Gus' address in his wallet and robs Gus yet again. Later, Deech is about to get thrown out of his apartment. Not that it's much better than being on the street. But at least it's something. Deech shows the landlord one of Gus' paintings (signed "GB") and makes up a fabulous story about the artist Geoff Buonardi (taking care to hide the Chef Buonardi canned pasta he is eating; it looks suspiciously like Chef Boy-Ar-Dee in the real world). The landlord is impressed and takes the painting in place of cash.The fantastic story about the troubled Vietnam vet takes on a life of its own, becoming more amazing each time it is told. Everyone wants to know more about this mysterious artist. Kate Crowley wants to interview him for her magazine. Florence Rubin absolutely must have all his work (and she has the money to do it). Furthermore, she hires private detective Walter Sznitzken to track down Buonardi. Which he does--sort of.Gus is such a loser that girlfriend Shari wants him gone. Having been robbed, he lies on her couch all day long, and she's had enough. Fortunately, Gus finds himself part of an amazing scheme cooked up by Walter and Deech. One problem: this same scenario found its way into an episode of "M*A*S*H". Everyone thought they knew the amazing Dr. Tuttle, but no one had ever actually seen him. The entire New York City artistic community believes Buonardi exists. How do our heroes handle it?Well, there are several creative solutions to the problem. Most depending on people being able to keep secrets. That's all I intend to say.This is a pretty good movie, and at least some of the acting is good. The writing is clever enough. The one standout performance comes from Connie Britton as the magazine writer.I never did like Gus or Deech. Perhaps it would have made a difference if they had been played by actors I knew. But I did want the scheme to work.This is good enough. Nothing outstanding.

George Parker A typical starving artist (Eigeman) is unable to sell his paintings until a scam artist creates a mysterious identity for him and proves that one can find wealth and true love through fraud as his art becomes "The Next Big Thing". There is as little to praise and there is to fault in this easy-going B romcom now on cable. An okay time killer for couch potatoes. (C+)Note - Farley Granger, 50's heart-throb, makes a rare appearance in this film.