Customer Reviews

Big Fish

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

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.

I went into Big Fish with high hopes. I love Tim Burton movies. He has an amazing imagination, which is lacking in many directors today. Directors like Roland Emmerich, Renny Harlin, and of course the big one, Michael Bay. These directors only use special effects and big explosions, while the story gets lost. Meanwhile Burton's genius is that his beautiful visuals compliment his stories. So as the curtains rose, and the theater went dark I was overcome by a childish glee. Then to my disdain, the lights came back on, then went on, and off about 15 more times before the movie finally started. But what a movie it ended up being.

Big Fish tells the story of a young man trying to sort out the facts and lies that his father has been telling him for his whole life. As the story opens Will Bloom (Crudup) hasn't spoken to his father in almost three years. He got tired of listening to his tall tales, but when he gets a call from his mother (Lange) telling him that his father doesn't have much time he rushes down as a latch ditch effort to learn the facts about his father. Albert Finney plays Edward Bloom, a man nearly confined to his bed, trying to get his son to accept who he is. The majority of the film is told through flashbacks, showing the amazing life that young Edward Bloom (Mcgregor) has lived. From giants to circus, from war to salesman, the film gives you the glimpse of a life as Bloom sees it. Is it true? Is he lying? Or is he embellishing the facts? Who knows and who cares.

The actors in this movie shine. Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney are absolutely charming in this movie. You want to believe his stories, and you can see why others do. The convincing shed their accents and pick up a southern accent without you really noticing. Other notable performances include Jessica Lange and Helena Bohnam Carter. But another surprise would have had to be Lohman. This was the first movie I had seen her in, and I was amazed. She is extremely talented and even with the limited screen time she was given manage to catch my attention.

Now on to the inevitable visuals. Everyone knows of Tim Burtons visuals. Heck he has made it a trade mark., now known as Burtonism. This movie surprised me in the aspect that although very visual, it was the least of all his movies. What stood out to me? Well the town of Spectre along with the path to get there. It was a beautiful town, which represented Heaven on earth. Another notable section was the circus, where time froze while Ed Bloom saw the women of his life. The screenplay by John August captures the beauty of Daniel Wallace's book while expanding on it. The screenplay looked tailor made to be directed by Tim Burton. Which brings us to the score which was beautifully written by Danny Elfman. I have gotten so used to his dark and moody scores that I forgot how brilliant and light some of his scores can be. This is one of the best, compliments the movie perfectly.

So when the lights came back on after the movie was over I was smiling. My imagination was just blown away again by Tim Burton. I was talking about the movie with a few friends after we got out of the theater and they noticed the same reaction from the audience as with me. I remembered being afraid when I sat down originally because it was the late showing and the audience consisted of teens. I was expecting a lot of dumb comments but they were as blown away as I was. Even now a few months later as I watch it on dvd I still can't stop smiling at how much I like this movie. This is a movie for everyone.

The relationship between a young man and his dying father takes center stage at this original movie, that seamlessly mixtures fantasy and reality in order to create a film well-worth watching.

The son, William (Billy Crudup), wants to know more about his dad before it is too late, but is fed up with the incredible stories he always tell about himself. The problem is that his father, Edward (Albert Finney), cannot help but talk a lot and make reality more interesting, disguising it as he deems necessary. But after telling a story many times, it becomes real to you, and Ed can't distinguish truth from lies any more. But who knows, maybe he doesn't want to...

The talks and fights between father and son, mixed with their interaction with their wives, take them down memory lane, as Ed remembers once again what happened to him from the moment he left his little town as a young man. Ed doesn't stop telling tall tales, but the spectator will be happy for that due to the fact that thanks to the skill of the director of "Big Fish" (Tim Burton) Ed's stories come alive, and we are introduced to witches, giants, werewolves, the biggest fish in the river and even to the charmed town that young Ed (Ewan Mc Gregor) visited in his wandering days. We also get to know how Ed met the girl he knew would become his wife (Alison Lohman, afterwards played by Jessica Lange), and the unconventional way in which he proposed to her.

Those stories are too strange to be truthful, of course, and that is the problem for Will. But soon enough he will realise that maybe not all Ed's stories are complete lies, and that he might know his father much more than he was aware of.

I highly enjoyed this movie, even though it made me cry a little at the end. I want to point out that the general tone is one of optimism, and that "Big Fish" is so visually engaging that you will believe you are living an extraordinary fairy tale. And what can I say?. I love good fairy tales!!!

Belen Alcat

This is one of the most imaginative movies I have ever seen. For anyone who likes telling stories or being told some, this is one you'll want to check out. Don't watch it if you have difficulty accessing your imagination!

There are so few books, movies, and products that just really light a fire under my, well, you know where region. The movie COLD MOUNTAIN was one such thing. The novel THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD was another such item. And now I found yet another----BIG FISH. Supported by a smart script , it faces the bitter relationship between father and son. The father to my mind represents the same Burton, where imagination and reality are blended, so the limits between what's the official story and what was dreamed is difficult to define. True, this film may not be everybody's cup of tea, but nevertheless it is a sweet story, and makes you think about yourself and other people in your life, as it is also a true classic motion picture event. The acting is absolutely superb as it is always the case with Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor does a great job too. The scenery is beautiful and the photography is exceptional, and sure you will find some of Tim Burton's trademark shocking or even somewhat scary moments, but always the humorous relief.

This movie, by Tim Burton is by far one of his best. I have enjoyed most of Tim Burton's movies in the past such as, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands; so when I saw the commercials for Big Fish I was instantly drawn in. Not to mention, Ewan McGregor is in it, so I was in love instantly! When I saw this movie, I was not disappointed and that is obvious because I saw Big Fish in theatres three times while it was there and the day it came out on DVD, I bought it.
The movie is the story of a young man named Will (Billy Crudup) whose father Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) is dying. They had not spoke for a few years after Will's father took the spotlight at his wedding telling one of his outrageous tales. Now, while is father is lying in bed at home, Will who has grown up being told the many miraculous stories and tales of his fathers life, wants to find out the truth about all of the stories. Will does not believe that any of the stories that his father told him throughout his whole life are true and he feels he does not know who is father really is. As the stories and the movie unfold, Will learns more about his father and himself, as well as the reasons for the stories that his father told.
The movie goes back and forth between the present, and the stories being told as back-flashes. Young Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) is the center of all the tall tales that include a witch with a glass eye that shows how people die, a perfect little town called Spectre with no road to it and even a giant named Karl. Each story is told with Tim Burton's usual sense of imagination, sensational imagery and darkness. The stories all revolve around events that happened in Edward Bloom's life, but each tale in the movie reflect a real tall tale.

The actor's in this movie are all wonderful at the parts they portray. Ewan McGregor is excellent as the young, charismatic Edward Bloom. Albert Finney makes the old Edward Bloom glow, even though he is sick in bed most of the time. The contrast between the two actors as young and old is perfect. Jessica Lange as Will's mother and Alison Lohman as a young Sandra Bloom are also wonderful in this movie. The casting in this movie was amazing and adds a lot to the rest of the movie as a whole.
Although Big Fish is a wonderful spectacle to see, I don't recommend watching it while you are tired because then it will seem a little slow. Believe it or not, I watched it once when I was tired and actually fell asleep. Every once in awhile there are parts that seem to kind of drag. That is made up for, however, in the great storyline and the colorful imagination and display of each story. I recommend this movie to be seen by everyone at least once and bring a box of Kleenex for the first time. Big Fish is a movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders. Since there is very little profanity and slight, but tasteful, nudity, this is a good family film and one that I even thought was appropriate to watch at a church youth group event. If you love Tim Burton's older movies, you will definitely love this one. Even if you didn't love his other movies, I still recommend everyone to rent this movie and see this outstanding spectacle at least once.

Tim Burton has become the master of the fantasy film from "Batman" to "Nightmare Before Christmas" but now he has turned his attention to a story of depth and emotion. Anyone who one day woke up and discovered that they didn't really understand their father, or know his life story will love this movie. The father in question is Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) who loves to tell, at least it seems so to his son, Will (Billy Crudup), tall tales about his past. The son becomes estranged from his father on his wedding day, when his father tells one tall tale too many for Will's tastes. For the next several years, Will communicates only with his mother, Sandra (Jessica Lange). When his father becomes seriously ill, however, Will and his wife rush to his side. Father and son take final stock of each other, and the seemingly tall tales continue. As his father gets progressively worse, Will, feeling that he really does not know his father, embarks on a journey to discover for himself, once and for all, the man his father really is. What he discovers is that his father was not so off the mark with his stories, and he finally begins to appreciate who his father really is and the impact that he has had on others. It allows Will to be able to say goodbye to his father in a way that his father understands and to be at peace with the man whom he discovered his father to be. The one qualm I had with the film is its underutilization of its female characters. Jessica Lange is certainly among the greatest living actresses, and Alison Lohman is a truly talented young performer. I was also surprised with Helena Bonham Carter (who can forget "Frankenstein"?), who actually delivers this time, her performance reminiscent of her former Woody Allen days. Sadly, though, we didn't get to see enough of any of these fine female performers. Still, the male leads were good. I was surprised by Billy Crudup, and Ewan McGregor has certainly worked on his dialect since "Velvet Goldmine" and "Down With Love." And Albert Finney, a far cry from his Daddy Warbucks, is as wonderful as ever.

This is the greatest movie I have ever seen. And for all of you people that thought it was terrible, you are either one of three things: mentally handicapped, void of any emotion, or just plain stupid.

There are things worth seeing in Tim Burton's Big Fish. Some of the scenes are visually stunning. There are some colorful minor characters (especially the poet/bank robber played by the wonderful Steve Buscemi). And the ending is pretty moving.

Other than that, there seems to be something aimless to the film. It was difficult for me to get interested in what was happening to the characters; I never felt that I truly got to know them, and though perhaps this is part of the point, it was frustrating. Also, Ewan MacGregor's insistently upbeat performance would occasionally get on my nerves.

Tough one for me. I love Burton films and am a big fan of most of the actors. When I watched this, I was ready to be pulled into Tim Burton's dreamy, fairy-tale world and I ... wasn't. Beautiful to look at, nice score, fine actors - but I really felt the schmaltz come through in a mainstream don't-give-the audience-credit kind of way. Burton's best makes you feel as sad, happy, schmalzty as the best of them, but without your feeling so commercially manupulated. There is a depth missing here and sadly, I felt nothing but a pretty surface on this.