Big Fish (2003)
Directed by Tim Burton
Written by John August
Based on the book by Daniel Wallace
Starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Alison Lohman, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Danny DeVito, Steve Buscemi.
I should start by saying that yes I notice that only one movie on the list so far came out before 1980, and only three before 1990. There will be a greater diversity in aged films. Those like a fine wine. So do not fret elitists, Casablanca may follow!
Tim Burton is so inconsistent for me. Lately he has more misses than hits. A lot of people I know liked Sweeny Todd, but I was really let down. I thought Depp had one face and went with it. Somehow, Sacha Baron Cohen was the best part.
But I digress.
Big Fish was so far away from Burton's typical gothic atmosphere. It was bright, lavish and uplifting. As much as I like his partnership with Depp, it's nice to see Burton work with other people.
He proved that he could use fanciful imagery in a wild fantasy that wasn't cloaked in smoke and shadows. It was the most brilliant use of colour of every movie he's made.
I remember seeing it in the cinema when it finally came to Fredericton and just soaking it all in. It unfolds like one of Ed Bloom's tall tales, because that's what it is...only it's Bloom's whole tall tale of a life.
Big Fish works as a series of vignettes building to a whole. This is a film where not only are flashbacks well done, they are necessary to the story. It's about a son discovering the truth about his father, piece by piece. The audience has to figure it out along with him.
As the relationship develops, and Will Bloom (Crudup) fights the fantastical and eventually forgives his father for his faults, it's a touching but not overly pandering emotional climax. Big Fish may be about tall tales, but it's emotion is genuine.
Burton needs to do more...well not exactly like this but to break his norm once in a while proves he has more in him than the dark, brooding melodrama. This and Ed Wood do it proper.
1 comment:
I agree wholeheartedly about Tim Burton's inconsistency. Aside from Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, Batman, and his animated films I find most of his work to be pretty shallow.
And I also agree with you on Sweeney Todd. Good songs and visual style, but Johnny Depp's performance was missing something.
I only saw part of Ed Wood when I was young. I need to give it another chance.
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