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The Big Bang (2011) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Big Bang (2011) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2011
JustWatch #11,889 5
Directed by
Tony Krantz

A captivating mystery emerges as a team of scientists investigates the universe's creation. Their research explores the possibility that all of existence began from an incredibly tiny point. The exploration challenges fundamental understandings and prompts profound questions about the nature of reality and our place within it.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (5)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like The Big Bang
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Big Bang (2011)

Where can you watch The Big Bang? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on History Vault, Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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5 main characters · contains spoilers

The Big Bang Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Big Bang (2011), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Ned Cruz

    Ned Cruz is a determined private investigator with a skeptical attitude towards the cases he undertakes. His resourcefulness shines as he delves into a web of crime that escalates with each clue he uncovers. His character embodies the struggle between seeking truth and dealing with dangerous adversaries.

    • 🕵️‍♂️ Investigator
    • 🧩 Resourceful
  • Anton

    Anton is a tormented boxer whose life spiraled after a tragic incident during a match. His past is marked by regret and vengeance, as he seeks retribution for his misfortunes. Despite his violent background, the pursuit of love motivates his actions as he searches for Lexie.

    • 🥊 Boxer
    • 💔 Regret
  • Lexie Persimmon

    Lexie Persimmon is the enigmatic woman whose identity remains shrouded in mystery. Throughout the story, her absence brings chaos and raises questions about her true nature. Lexie's influence on Anton serves as a powerful motivator, demonstrating the impact of lost love and longing.

    • 💋 Enigma
    • 💌 Desire
  • Fay Neman

    Fay Neman is a unique character who sparkles with personality and intelligence, serving as an unexpected ally to Ned. Her knowledge of particle physics adds depth to her character and the story's overarching theme. Fay's playful seduction underscores her multifaceted role in the investigation.

    • 👩‍🔬 Smart
    • 😏 Playful
  • Simon

    Simon is a physicist consumed by his quest for the 'God particle', showcasing the motif of obsession within the narrative. His indifference to personal connections creates tension, particularly with his wife Julie. Simon's scientific pursuits ultimately intertwine with the movie's climax, heightening the stakes.

    • 🔬 Scientist
    • 🚀 Obsessed

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:50

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Setting

Where and When Does The Big Bang Take Place?

The setting of The Big Bang (2011): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Contemporary, five years ago

The events unfold in a contemporary setting, marked by the integration of modern technology and current social themes. Flashbacks to five years prior reveal a world of crime and betrayal involving the Russian mob, setting the stage for the motivations and conflicts driving the characters' actions in the present day.

Location

Los Angeles, San Celeritas, New Mexico

The movie takes place primarily in Los Angeles, a bustling city known for its entertainment industry and diverse culture. Additionally, significant events unfold in San Celeritas, New Mexico, a location that contrasts the urban backdrop with a more secluded, desert-like atmosphere. San Celeritas is depicted as a place where secrets lurk and mysterious encounters occur.

  • 🌇 City
  • 🏜️ Desert

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:50

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3 major themes

The Big Bang Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Big Bang (2011) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Mystery

    The central theme of mystery permeates the narrative as private investigator Ned Cruz unravels a tangled web of murder and deception. Each turn reveals new layers of intrigue, with characters hiding secrets that escalate the stakes. The film's structure, blending past and present, enhances the suspense as clues are pieced together.

  • Betrayal

    Betrayal is a significant theme as relationships are tested and characters reveal their true intentions. Anton's past actions set off a chain reaction of revenge and deceit. Detectives and associates exhibit their own betrayals as they pursue personal agendas, leading to tragic consequences.

  • Justice

    The quest for justice drives the narrative as characters seek to right past wrongs and uncover the truth. Ned's investigation serves as a catalyst for exposing the vile acts of those entangled in crime. Ultimately, the concept of justice challenges the boundaries between legal retribution and personal vendettas.

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:50

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Character & theme questions

The Big Bang Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Big Bang (2011): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The Big Bang is set primarily in Los Angeles, with significant events also unfolding in San Celeritas, New Mexico. Los Angeles provides the urban backdrop for the crime elements, while San Celeritas offers a contrasting desert environment where mysterious encounters occur.

  • los angeles
  • san celeritas
  • new mexico
  • setting
  • locations
Q2

What time period is the movie set in?

The story takes place in contemporary times, featuring present-day events alongside flashbacks to five years prior. These flashbacks reveal a world of crime and betrayal involving the Russian mob, establishing the motivations that drive the present-day conflict.

  • contemporary
  • five years ago
  • time period
  • flashbacks
Q3

What are the main themes in the movie?

The Big Bang explores three central themes: mystery, as private investigator Ned Cruz unravels a web of murder and deception; betrayal, where relationships are tested and characters reveal hidden agendas; and justice, as characters seek to right past wrongs and uncover truth, blurring the lines between legal retribution and personal vendettas.

  • mystery
  • betrayal
  • justice
  • themes
Q4

Who is Ned Cruz?

Ned Cruz is a determined private investigator with a skeptical attitude who becomes entangled in a complex case involving murder and deception. His resourcefulness helps him uncover clues that lead deeper into a dangerous web of crime, embodying the struggle between seeking truth and facing dangerous adversaries.

  • ned cruz
  • private investigator
  • detective
  • protagonist
Q5

Who is Anton in the story?

Anton is a tormented boxer whose life spiraled downward after a tragic incident during a match. Driven by regret and vengeance for his misfortunes, he searches for Lexie Persimmon, with love serving as his primary motivation despite his violent background.

  • anton
  • boxer
  • revenge
  • lexie persimmon
Q6

Who is Lexie Persimmon?

Lexie Persimmon is an enigmatic woman whose identity remains shrouded in mystery throughout the story. Her absence brings chaos and raises questions about her true nature, while her influence on Anton serves as a powerful motivator, demonstrating the impact of lost love and longing.

  • lexie persimmon
  • mystery
  • love interest
  • anton
Q7

Who is Fay Neman?

Fay Neman is an unexpected ally to Ned Cruz who sparkles with personality and intelligence. Her knowledge of particle physics adds depth to both her character and the story's overarching scientific theme. Her playful seduction and multifaceted role make her a distinctive presence in the investigation.

  • fay neman
  • ally
  • particle physics
  • scientist
Q8

Who is Simon in the movie?

Simon is a physicist consumed by his quest for the 'God particle', showcasing the motif of scientific obsession. His indifference to personal connections creates tension, particularly with his wife Julie. His scientific pursuits intertwine with the movie's climax, linking the crime elements to the particle physics thread.

  • simon
  • physicist
  • god particle
  • obsession
  • science
Q9

How do the two main locations contrast with each other?

Los Angeles represents the bustling entertainment industry and urban crime world, while San Celeritas, New Mexico offers a secluded desert atmosphere where secrets lurk and mysterious encounters occur. This contrast between urban and desert settings enhances the film's noir tone and isolated confrontation scenes.

  • urban
  • desert
  • contrast
  • environment
  • atmosphere
Q10

Why does the movie include particle physics themes?

The inclusion of particle physics, particularly through Simon's quest for the 'God particle' and Fay Neman's scientific expertise, adds an unusual intellectual layer to the gritty crime plot. This scientific thread interweaves with the criminal investigation, creating a distinctive blend of noir and speculative science that sets the movie apart from conventional thrillers.

  • particle physics
  • god particle
  • science
  • plot integration

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Big Bang, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Big Bang tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Paranoid crime thrillers like The Big Bang

Dive into relentless investigations where every clue leads to greater danger and deception. These movies capture the tense, fast-paced feeling of The Big Bang. If you liked the high-stakes investigation, constant threat of violence, and cynical atmosphere of betrayal, you'll find similar gripping stories here featuring private eyes and detectives in over their heads.

  • tense
  • paranoid
  • noir
  • gritty
  • anxious
  • violent
  • Tone: dark, tense, cynical
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a protagonist, often a detective or journalist, who uncovers a small clue that spirals into a vast, dangerous conspiracy. The narrative is propelled by a series of escalating threats and betrayals, forcing the hero to rely on their wits to survive a world where the lines between friend and foe are constantly blurred.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared core experience: a relentless, high-tension plot set in a morally corrupt world. They feature a fast pace, a dark and cynical tone, and a feeling of isolation and paranoia that keeps the viewer on edge from start to finish.

Movies mixing intellectual themes with crime like The Big Bang

Gritty criminal underworlds collide with lofty, mind-bending ideas and themes. If you enjoyed the unexpected blend of particle physics with a violent diamond heist in The Big Bang, explore these films. They combine the suspense and action of a crime story with thought-provoking scientific, philosophical, or metaphysical concepts for a uniquely cerebral experience.

  • mysterious
  • thought-provoking
  • noir
  • complex
  • gritty
  • cerebral
  • Tone: dark, mysterious, thought-provoking
  • Pacing: variable, concept-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a standard crime plot—a heist, a murder, a conspiracy—that is juxtaposed with or driven by a larger, abstract concept. This could be a scientific theory, a philosophical dilemma, or a metaphysical question. The characters are often caught between the immediate, physical dangers of their situation and the mind-expanding implications of the bigger idea.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their distinctive blending of two seemingly disparate elements: a gritty, realistic crime world and a high-concept, intellectual theme. This creates a unique tone that is both viscerally thrilling and intellectually stimulating.

If you liked this

Movies Like The Big Bang

Similar movies to The Big Bang: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

The Big Bang (2011) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Big Bang in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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