Big Fish: Review By derekmay

In our age of soaring budgets and ever-grander effects we've become almost reversly desensitized. We crave that bigger explosion or that faster car chase or that greater epic. We crave it so much that anything smaller just won't due. How could it after all we've seen? But that's exactly why a film like Big Fish is so necessary and so brilliant- it combines the heartfelt, simple story of a man and his son with the genuine, poignant component of whimsical imagination.

This story could not have been brought to life by anyone other than Tim Burton. His child-like adoration for the fantastic and his keen insight into the dramatic is realized here unmatched by anything he's done before (or by anyone for that matter.) Yes, there are special effects and they look dazzling, but that's just the point. In an environment where effects are the movie and story and character are secondary, Burton utilizes effects as they are meant to be used- to enhance the story and the characters, not overshadow them. The key word here is dazzle. The wonderful absurdity of the protagonist's stories is made to feel possible and enchanting through the both subtle and unobtrusive use of effects.

But that's enough on that, for as I said the heart here is in the story and the characters. Ewan Mcgregor delivers the performance of the year thus far playing the younger version of Edward Bloom, a Forrest Gump without the "stupid is." Both engaging and memorable, he dances the fine line between the real and the surreal, grounding us securely in the fantastical events portrayed so we feel as if they just might have actually happened- so much so we then kind of hope they did. At the elder end of the spectrum is Albert Finney as the aged Edward, who delivers a top notch performance that is matched only by McGregor's. In a movie where its make or break can depend on its actor's ability to hold the audience's suspension of disbelief, you can find no better example than here. I could rave on about these two, as well as the rest of the cast, but suffice it to say that Billy Crudop is endearing and sure to raise Hollywood's eyebrows, Jessica Lange is perfectly suited and realized, Alison Lohman holds you in the moment, Helena Bonham Carter is superb and captivating and the supporting cast is bar none the cleverest ensemble in recent memory (especially with the gentle giant Matthew McGrory.)

The story manages to intertwine the absurdly original tales of a father at the end of his colorful life with the estranged son who longs to move past all the fluff and learn the truth about his father. But what we realize is that truth is in the eye of the beholder. It is subjective. And most importantly, it is at times unnecessary when the real meaning stems from the moral behind it, the richness of its telling and the feeling you receive in learning it. This is the journey that the son must discover for himself, and I think it's one we should all take and try not to become bogged in the facts and remember life is in the details.

Based on the book by Daniel Wallace, Big Fish resonates as a truly timeless piece that's sure to become an instant classic. Reminiscent of those great fantasy films that hold a special place in our hearts (i.e. The Princess Bride) but have not seen a rebirth since now, this film is important for both young and old. It is a calling, a challenge, to tap back into those whimsical, optimistic pre-cynical years where we were happy to hear tall tales of wonder and adventure and used it to fuel our own imaginations and dreams. We've lost that, marred by the hopelessly dramatic and formulaic spoonfuls of effects that are supposed to pass for adventure. Here, finally, we have a simple story that can take us back to those long forgotten years and make us remember why we have an imagination in the first place.