Big Fish (2004)
So you want a job as a side show freak eh? What're you a man or a woman? And where's your nose? Tell y'what kid, throw in the giraffe and y'got a job.
Starring: |
Albert Finney |
Released By: |
Columbia Pictures |
Released In: |
2004 |
Rated: |
PG |
Reviewed By: |
Adam Mast |
Grade: |
A- |
Tim Burton is one of the most amazing visual storytellers of the last twenty years. While many were disappointed by his take on Planet of the Apes ( I liked the film, but I wouldn't call it one of his best), he remains a master of the craft. Big Fish is a stunning achievement and incorporates a dash of all the elements that make Tim Burton classics so stunning. In fact, I think this is his best work since Ed Wood.
In this endearing fantasy, Billy Crudup plays William Bloom, an earnest man who is trying to reconnect with Edward, his deathly ill father. Through the years, Edward has become a master storyteller, concocting wild tales of adventures with giants, going on the road with the circus, and befriending a creepy old witch. As a child, William always enjoyed the stories, but upon reaching adulthood, these tales and his father have become somewhat embarrassing, putting a strain on their relationship. As William reaches out to his dying father, we learn more about Edward's past through a series of fantastical flashbacks that feature Ewan McGregor as a young Finney.
Recently, I made the observation that Cold Mountain suffered a bit from it's fragmented plot structure. Big Fish is also fragmented but it works because it's a movie about tall tales. And while there is no doubt that this film tends to meander, it has enough whimsical energy and magic to mesmerize nearly every step of the way.
Tim Burton has infused his usual eccentric and offbeat sensibility into nearly every frame of Big Fish, but at it's core, this is a father and son story, and that keeps the movie grounded in reality. This picture is perfectly balanced.
While Big Fish is rife with visual splendor, there are also many terrific performances adding color to this vivid pallette. Billy Crudrup is outstanding as William. Even though this isn't a role of great depth, it rings true. Albert Finney is a seasoned pro and his ability to tell these stories is important, because we need to believe he can captivate those he's talking to. He pulls it off with flying colors. As I watched him, I couldn't help but think that I had met real men like him in my own life. Some of the emotional scenes where Crudup and Finney are reconnecting made the screen go a little blurry for me a few times. Jessica Lange is wonderful as Sandy and Alison Lohman perfectly compliments her as a younger version of Edward's wife. Big Fish is also populated by a perfect cast of bit parts played by noteworthy actors such as Danny DeVito, Steve Buscemi, Robert Guillaume, and Helena Bonham-Carter.
As I stated, Big Fish does have a real story at it's center. The whole movie really revolves around Edward and William, but this doesn't keep Burton from showcasing his visual talents. Save for Return of the King, this was probably my favorite movie to look at in 2003.
As it stands, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood tie for my favorite Tim Burton films. I can't pick between them. I can say that Big Fish, with it's magical tales (that, at times, reminded me of Forest Gump's adventures) and it's depiction of a father and son reconnecting, is my second favorite. And strangely enough, the three previously mentioned pictures, all feature central charactrers name Ed. Weird! (Could this be the final chapter of the Ed Trilogy?)
Big Fish is a film most of us can relate to because it's about a parent and child relationship. But it's also a movie that showcases the importance and power of stories. While we do learn, in a sense, whether or not some of the tales Edward is telling are true, we also come to realize that that really isn't the point. These stories helped this man get through life, and they also enriched and touched the lives of those whose ears they fell upon. That's what really matters. I loved Big Fish and it would have made my top ten of 2003 had I seen it in time.
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