Movie review: The Big Picture with Kal Penn

A variety of topics such as crime, trash, space invasions, and food are analyzed using data and interviews. Take a deep dive into a variety of topics with host, Kal Penn.

Kal Penn - Host

The Big Picture with Kal Penn is a surprisingly interesting journey into a variety of topics that while familiar to most of us, are things we typically don't think much about. Each episode is a deep dive into a subject that in turn explains how and why we see much of the world as we do. And even explains a few things we don't see. While well detailed, the series is not overly technical and engages the average audience nicely. I particularly enjoyed the crime episode which explored crime as a business unit and explained how without it the economy could collapse.

Acting… other than from Penn, who makes a decent host, there isn't really a cast or much acting in the series.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were enjoyable with a nice mix of actual locations and studio sets. Visuals were infrequently aided with CGI which was nicely done. Dialogue, from Penn, was solid and provided good details. Sound and soundtrack were mild but good.

Billed as a TV Documentary, The Big Picture with Kal Penn is an enjoyable series that focuses in on some interesting topics. Don't let the bland sounding series or episode descriptions fool you. This is a very engaging, and intellectually stimulating, series worth a watch.

Nothing here to limit audience age.

Released: 2015
Reviewed: 4.29.16
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: TV Documentaries, TV Series, Documentary, TV Mini-Series, Social & Cultural Commentary

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel