Big Men (film)

Big Men
Directed by	Rachel Boynton
Written by	Rachel Boynton
Produced by	Rachel Boynton Brad Pitt
Starring	Jim Musselman, Brian Maxted, George Osuwu, Jeffrey Harris
Cinematography	Jonathan Furmanski
Edited by	Seth Bomse
Music by	Nathan Larson
Production companies	Gravitas Ventures Boynton Films Impact Partners Screen Pass Pictures Whitewater Films BBC Films Danish Broadcasting Corporation Plan B Entertainment Sundial Pictures
Distributed by	Abramorama (United States)
Release date	March 14, 2014 (2014-03-14)
Running time	99 minutes
Countries	US, UK, Denmark
Language	English

Big Men is a 2014 documentary film produced and directed by Rachel Boynton. It examines the oil industry, the development of a new oil field in West Africa, the accusations of corruption that follow, and the resource curse. The film follows Texas-based Kosmos Energy as it attempts to start oil production in the new Jubilee Field off the coast of Ghana. With huge amounts of money at stake, Kosmos juggles its partners in Ghana, financial backers in New York, and the Great Recession that dramatically reduces oil prices. The film also visits Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, where decades of corruption and lack of development fuel militants, who attempt to gain a share of the oil pie. The film was released on March 14, 2014, to critical acclaim.

Plot

The documentary "Big Men" directed by Rachel Boynton examines the oil industry in the African nations of Ghana and Nigeria. The film follows the story of the American oil company Kosmos Energy as it discovers a large offshore oil field in Ghana and endeavors to develop it.

The film begins by introducing the key players, including Kosmos Energy executives and Ghanaian political leaders. It then delves into the technical and logistical challenges of oil exploration and extraction in the region. As the oil development progresses, the film also explores the impact on local Ghanaian communities and the broader political landscape.

Alongside the story in Ghana, the documentary also examines the oil industry in neighboring Nigeria, focusing on the activities of the militant group MEND (the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) and its efforts to disrupt the oil operations and challenge the government's control over the region's resources.

Through these parallel narratives, the film offers insights into the complex and often contentious relationship between multinational oil companies, local communities, and national governments in resource-rich African nations. It also raises questions about the distribution of wealth and power, as well as the potential for conflict and corruption within the oil industry in these contexts.

Production

The crew filmed between 2007 and 2011, in Ghana and Nigeria.

Reception

Big Men was acclaimed by critics. It holds a 90/100 on Metacritic and a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In The New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote that "this cool and incisive snapshot of global capitalism at work is as remarkable for its access as for its refusal to judge." Alan Scherstuhl of The Village Voice opined that the film "is no simple screed against tick-like profiteers growing fat on malnourished hosts," but instead "a richly detailed portrait". In The Washington Post, Stephanie Merry argued, "Boynton’s most impressive feat in 'Big Men' is how she takes an impossibly convoluted scenario, makes sense of it and tells a story that's riveting on its own but also serves as a parable about greed and human nature."

External links

• Big Men at IMDb