Year: 1978
Runtime: 108 mins
Language: English
Director: Jeremy Kagan
Moses Wine, a hard‑boiled private detective, is reluctantly hired by his former college girlfriend when she becomes the target of a vicious political smear campaign. As Wine digs deeper, he uncovers a web of corruption and faces lethal threats while trying to identify the mastermind behind the assault.
Get a spoiler-free look at The Big Fix (1978) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In the sun‑baked corridors of contemporary California politics, the line between idealism and manipulation feels as thin as a campaign flyer. Moses Wine, a former Berkeley radical turned hard‑boiled private investigator, moves through this world with a cynic’s eye and a reporter’s instinct. He’s a man whose past rebellions now sit behind a battered leather chair, his gumshoe instincts still sharp enough to smell a story in the stale air of a political press room. The city itself hums with restless ambition, a backdrop where glossy slogans clash with whispered back‑room deals, and the shadows are populated by the very people who once shouted on protest steps.
When his former college sweetheart, Lila Shay, resurfaces, she brings with her the high‑stakes pressure of a gubernatorial campaign. Lila, now a key operative in the ascent of charismatic hopeful Miles Hawthorne, finds herself the target of a vicious smear campaign that threatens to upend both her career and the candidate’s momentum. She reaches out to Moses not just for protection, but for the kind of truth‑seeking that only a seasoned gumshoe can provide, hoping his outsider perspective will cut through the noise of political spin.
Enter Sam Sebastian, the campaign’s nervous coordinator, whose office feels like a war room where image is weaponized and every new flyer could become a liability. He hires Moses to trace the origin of a bogus advertisement that pairs an aging radical with Hawthorne, a pairing that could derail the race if left unchecked. The assignment drags Moses back into a maze of old connections, underground publications, and the murky underbelly of a political machine that prefers silence to scandal.
Against this backdrop of glossy rallies and whispered conspiracies, Moses must navigate a world where loyalty is fluid and the price of truth can be measured in careers and credibility. The film’s tone blends classic noir grit with modern political thriller tension, offering a richly atmospheric portrait of a man caught between his radical past and the relentless, polished present of a campaign that will stop at nothing to stay ahead.
Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 17:59
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Cynical investigators unravel high-stakes corruption that goes all the way to the top.Discover movies like The Big Fix that blend detective noir with political thrillers. If you enjoyed the tense investigation into a smear campaign and web of corruption, you'll find similar stories of solitary heroes facing down powerful, manipulative systems.
The narrative follows a procedural investigation that starts with a seemingly isolated incident and expands to reveal a vast, systemic conspiracy. The protagonist, typically an outsider, uses their wits and resilience to connect the dots while facing intimidation and threats from a well-protected antagonist.
These movies are grouped by their fusion of the hard-boiled detective archetype with politically charged corruption plots. They share a cynical tone, a steady pacing that builds paranoia, and a focus on the moral gray areas of power and justice.
Cases are solved, but justice is imperfect and the moral landscape remains murky.Find movies similar to The Big Fix where the detective's victory is morally complex. If you liked the film's conclusion that uncovered the truth but left a cynical aftertaste, explore other crime films with bittersweet resolutions and enduring ambiguity.
The journey is driven by the pursuit of truth, but the resolution confronts the protagonist with the limitations of justice. The ending often involves a moral compromise, revealing that the system is flawed or that the personal price of the investigation was too high for a purely happy conclusion.
These films are united by their emotionally complex endings that balance resolution with ambiguity. They deliver on the mystery but leave the audience contemplating the cost of truth and the nature of justice, creating a more thoughtful and resonant experience.
Don't stop at just watching — explore The Big Fix in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Big Fix is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of The Big Fix, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of The Big Fix with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Big Fix. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Big Fix: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like The Big Fix that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
The Big Fix (1978) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
The Big Fix (1978) Movie Characters, Themes & Settings
The Big Fix (1978) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow
Movies Like The Big Fix – Similar Titles You’ll Enjoy
Small Time Crooks (2000) Full Summary & Key Details
Big Bear (2017) Full Movie Breakdown
Big Trouble (2002) Complete Plot Breakdown
Big Trouble (1986) Plot Summary & Ending Explained
The Fix (2018) Full Summary & Key Details
Mr. Fix It (2006) Film Overview & Timeline
The Big Slice (1991) Plot Summary & Ending Explained
The Big Night (1951) Movie Recap & Themes
The Fixer Uppers (1935) Story Summary & Characters
The Big Fall (1997) Ending Explained & Film Insights
The Little Giant (1933) Movie Recap & Themes
Big News (1929) Full Movie Breakdown
The Big Knife (1955) Film Overview & Timeline
The Basketball Fix (1951) Plot Summary & Ending Explained
The Big Caper (1957) Full Summary & Key Details