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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Sometimes Fiction is Better than the Truth, Jul 5 2007
Tim Burton's return to genuine film making is a welcome endeavor indeed. Here he creates a film that reminds me of what great film making is all about: fantasy, love and reflecting on the human spirit. I scoffed at a review that compared Big Fish to The Wizard of Oz when Big Fish first came out, but upon viewing it the comparison is really not hyperbolic at all and is actually quite justified. There is a unique carelessness and an innocence that resides perfectly and constantly in both films. To me, both films are truly a breath of fresh air and hope.
Big Fish is a book written by Daniel Wallace and is the delightful story of Edward Bloom, who has reached the twilight of his life and surrounds himself with his son, daughter-in-law and his wonderful wife Sandra. Eddie has seemingly lived a fantastic life of lies and exaggerations and his son has grown to call his bluff on more than one occasion. In fact, his son returns not just to possibly say good-bye to his father, but to attempt to get him to spill the beans on the truth of who his old man really is. Eddie of course, stands by his stories and brushes off his son's accusations nonchalantly. Most of the film we see Eddie revisit his life as a whole, seen through only his own stories. How he once befriended a 12 foot man; how he arrived in a town that was paradise, once to early and once too late when he turned it back into paradise again; how he joined the circus for three years so he could find out pieces information once a month from Amos the ringmaster about the girl Eddie was sure would be his wife and how Sandra would believe Eddie to be dead in war but he would return. The stories are full of details that would clearly indicate they are false but sometimes they are just better that way. Eddie is a mythological figure and that is just fine with him and as a viewer it's fine with me as well.
Eddie is played by Albert Finney who is in turn mirrored by Eddie's youthful version, the outstanding Ewen MacGregor who once again proves his versatility. Jessica Lange plays the older Sandra and she is played as a youngster by the talented Alison Lohman who carries as much energy and beauty as you could expect for a role with so little dialogue and so much importance. She is a real find and makes you fall in love with her right along with Eddie. Helena Bonham Carter brings her talents to the roles of The Witch and Jenny (or all of the other important women in Eddie's life). Steve Buscemi shows up, which is always a pleasant surprise and of course Amos is played by Danny DeVito who is as enjoyable as ever. The flat Keanu Reeves clone Billy Crudup is perhaps the only drawback, but he is a safe casting call as Eddie's son and does what he can in discovering that his father is exactly what he says he is and more.
Let me just add that I believe Big Fish is a family film. I don't see why it shouldn't be rated PG rather than PG-13. The language rises above the prime time television level once, there is blood only in a comedic and romantic fight sequence that has a truly admirable message and there is a women's nude rear displayed briefly and non-sexually. This is not grounds for a PG-13 movie. I would bring a seven year old to see this. In fact, my guess is that the movie was directed at this demographic. When content is not exploitative, it is not really inappropriate. I can't see why Rock Diesel films get PG-13ed when the message is nothing short of "Kill the bad guys, make a lame joke, drive and crash really cool vehicles and get the dirty chick". Anyway, Big Fish may be about a guy who is stretching the truth but the characters' hearts couldn't be more firmly in the right place. The scene when Eddie fills an entire field with Sandra's favorite flower and stands in the middle of the field, outside of her window and calls out to her comes to mind. It brings joy to my heart in a way that only a film like The Wizard of Oz can, and a small child should never ever miss that kind of message. Big Fish is a smart film that really generates a ton of emotion and convincing special effects. I don't doubt for a moment that more work went into the effects than money. This film carried a sense of hope, pride, real love, respect, fantasy and the crucial element that films of these tainted times often forget: natural and unforced optimism.
Then there is Tim Burton. He is the filmmaker that can put all of these elements together and for the first time tug at your emotions as well. Two things make this film better than Burton's other work. Firstly, it is real and doesn't dwell on being over-stylized and under-dramatized. Secondly, it is pure, clean and full of moments we can all relate too. Tim Burton has made a film that will alienate his older fans who haven't matured like he has, without "selling out" (he's done that before) and he has made a film that the whole world can watch, enjoy and discover this unique filmmaker. I'm glad that he saved some of his real film making inspiration for this wonderful little story.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
'Big Fish' is a great catch, Mar 2 2004
In the past, director Tim Burton has been known for his offbeat, sometimes dark, sometimes strange, but always visually impressive films such as Ed Wood, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands. His newest offering, Big Fish, is his most whimsical and personal work yet and definitely one of his best. Big Fish is the story of Edward Bloom, a man who loves his family but has never been completely honest with them about his life. Edward is now near the end of his life and his son, Will, finds this the perfect opportunity to discover the real story of his fatherï¿s life. Edward, however, has other ideas.
To Will, and to everyone else in the Bloom family, Edwardï¿s life is a complete mystery. The stories he tells about his life involve witches, giants, werewolves and interruptions in the time/space continuum, among other things. Will is a reporter, so he has a tolerance for the facts and he is initially exasperated by his fatherï¿s outlandish yarns.
Edward, in his elder version, is played by Albert Finney. Even though he spends almost the entire film bed-ridden, Finney fills the character with so much energy and passion, that he steals every scene he is in. Ewan McGregor portrays the younger Edward and his performance, though less powerful, is still of the same splendid caliber of Finneyï¿s. He makes Edward a funny, kind and unique personality and his Southern accent, even though McGregor was born in Scotland, is flawless. In fact, the worst Southern accent in a movie where the two lead actors are both British comes from an American actor, Danny DeVito, as a circus ringmaster with a strange secret.
The other performers in Big Fish are also above average. Alison Lohman and Jessica Lange, playing Edwardï¿s wife Sandra at different stages in her life, both are tender and beautiful. As Will, the skeptical son, Billy Crudup seems like heï¿s playing a one-note part until the climax of the film, which is one of the most poignant and affecting scenes likely to be found in a movie this year.
Director Tim Burton and cinematographer Philippe Rousselot make the world of Edwardï¿s stories vivid and quirky, with splashy colors and striking imagery. His tall tales are richly illustrated and to the audience, the world is a wonderful thing to behold through the eyes of Edward Bloom.
Big Fish may be Tim Burtonï¿s masterpiece and it is certainly one of the best movies of 2003. It shows that a little magic is greatly needed in a world which has grown too cold and cynical. It is rare that a movie can be so imaginative and whimsical and yet is able to affect its audience in such a deeply personal way.
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