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Film Review:
Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You
Copyright 2011 Christina M. Guerrero
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ABOUT THE DRAFTS
One of my favorite nonfiction articles from 2011.
Thomas F. Wilson ("Tom"), who played Biff in the Back To The Future series, jokes about his experiences in the franchise, and everything else you didn't know about him.
C’mon. Admit it. You thought Biff Tannen was kinda cute. And you were wondering if the actor would eventually look like Biff’s 47-year-old self from the Back To The Future film series.
Thomas F. Wilson, at age 50, looks somewhat like the 47-year-old Biff in his 2009 stand-up comedy special Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You. He doesn’t want you to call him Biff. Those were just movies, he says in his routine. He wants you to call him Tom. And although he doesn’t say so, he might appreciate it if you know he’s also an accomplished comedian, stage actor, musician, voiceover actor and artist.
Musical Explanations
Just in case you go to one of Wilson’s comedy shows and still wonder about his Back To The Future experiences, he’s ready. With a guitar and a cute little melody, he satisfies the audience’s curiosity (“What’s Crispin Glover like? ... Unusual!”) in his song “Stop Asking Me The Question.” A musician since high school when he played tuba for his school band, Wilson plays and sings well, and performs several amusing songs throughout his routine.
Physical Humor
Still large at age 50 -- six-three and 230 pounds -- Wilson is an imposing figure onstage. However he is also humble and self-deprecating, creating a humorous illusion. When he says “jazz hands” for the first time, it’s hard not to like him and pay more attention. He does admit to benefiting from his size; when necessary he disciplines his son by imitating a silver-back gorilla with a dangerous growl. And he wants you to know, with a smug gleam in his eyes, that when small slim men punch him in the face in real life ... no, he’s not going to pass out and fall down the way Biff did in the BTTF movies.
His Storytelling
Wilson’s stories sound like an old friend sharing updates on life. He talks about growing up in Philadelphia; his high school experiences; his parents and siblings; his wife, and his pride at having produced four children (he boasts about being so fertile that all he and his wife have to do is sit down on the couch and accidentally bump elbows). His story setups are comforting and deceptively benign; some are humorous from the beginning, and some have unexpected punch lines. He can also be biting (he’s not impressed with people who have produced only one child), but never cruel.
With a microphone, a stool and a guitar, Wilson amiably presents a funny routine about his careers; being a son, husband and dad; and his experiences in high school. He’s nothing at all like Biff -- so check him out.
A Brief Biography
Wilson was born and raised in Philadelphia. He found work in comedy as a teenager while studying theater, and then was accepted at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles at age 21. In addition to his work in comedy and film, he has been a voice-over actor for SpongeBob SquarePants, and a guest star or regular character in television shows. He is also a respected artist; after studying at UCLA, the Art Institute of Los Angeles and California Art Institute, he found another niche painting portraits of vintage children’s toys, and some of his work has been displayed by Disneyland Resort.
Sources:
BigPopFun website
Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You. Dir. Manny Rodriguez. Perf. Thomas F. Wilson. Levity Productions, 2009. Running time: 64 minutes.
TomWilsonUSA, Tom Wilson’s official website.
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