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Big Fish - A Tim Burton Masterpiece

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"A man tells his stories so many times, that he becomes the stories. They live on after him and in that way he becomes immortal." Fiction as a vehicle for passing on mundane facts that in themselves are not worth telling, but nonetheless are part of who we are. The value is not so much in the facts themselves, but in the storytelling. Has anyone ever personally met God, or visited heaven? Has the absence of a factual basis prevented people from happily entertaining this notion as another reality? This film is about the exploits, real or imagined, of Ed Bloom, a fascinating, larger-than-life character who is loved by all. He has the uncanny ability to suspend disbelief in favor of wonder every time he tells a story. And these stories, loaded with imagination and wit, are animated by wonderful performances by an exemplary cast that engender their characters with life, rendering them almost believable. The narrator of the film is Ed Bloom's son Will, who attempts to discredit the stories as complete fiction, and therefore of little value. He is an embittered skeptic, who as an adult resents his father for taking advantage of his childhood innocence by having filled his head with lies and deception. Since the stories bring so much joy to the listener, and to us as viewers, they are much more satisfying to accept at face value; therefore, when Will admonishes them with scientific scrutiny, it is not the storyteller who ends up looking foolish and deceptive. In THE BIG FISH Tim Burton has created a masterpiece of fantasy that is firmly grounded in human relations, especially the complex relationship between a father and a son and the understated emotional bond between a husband and a wife. The immortality of that which cannot be verified or understood by the facts, the magic of faith and love, and the enduring power the imagination are all part of this "big fish" story.

This is, indeed, a magical, mystical movie about fathers and sons, which is based upon the book "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" by Daniel Wallace. The book is a perfect vehicle for Director Tim Burton's signature melange of reality and fantasy. The story is that of a father and his son, their estrangement, and their eventual reconciliation. It is a beautifully realized film that will bring tears to one's eyes.

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 film takes the viewer on a ride through some of Ed Bloom's tall tales, in a series of vignettes, where the viewer sees a young Ed Bloom (Ewan McGregor) living an almost fantastical life. We see him meet the love of his life, Sandra, as a young girl (Alison Lohman). We see him as a circus worker, a soldier, a traveling salesman, and even a bank robber. We see some of the people that cross section his life: a giant, a diminutive ringmaster, a witch, singing Siamese twins, and a bank robber. Ed even comes across a perfectly heavenly town full of wonderful, happy people.

This is simply a marvelous film with fantastical elements reminiscent of "Forrest Gump" and "The Princess Bride". Wonderful performances are given by veteran actors Albert Finney and Jessica Lange. Look for the very touching bath tub scene, where, fully clothed, the love between Ed and Sandra is palpable. Albert Finney, in the role of the senior Ed Bloom, is exceptional as a raconteur of the first order. Ewan McGregor is remarkable as the charismatic, younger Ed Bloom, infusing the role with a joie de vivre that is as infectious as it is engaging.

Jessica Lange is terrific as the senior Sandra Bloom, grounding her relationship with her husband with a steadfastedness born of years of mutual love and respect. Alison Lohman is simply lovely as the younger Sandra, imbuing her character with a beautiful sense of innocence and longing. It is interesting that both Alison Lohman and Ewan McGregor strongly resemble their more senior co-stars.

Billy Crudup is excellent as the angry Will Bloom, the son who needs to reconcile his image of his father with the man his father actually is. Robert Guillaume is masterful in the small role of the senior Dr. Bennett. The rest of the stellar cast is superlative, though Danny DeVito's southern accent needed a bit more work. The direction, however, is deft, and the cinematography is brilliant. This is an absolutely exceptional film. I really enjoyed it immensely, even though I initially viewed this film most reluctantly, and only after much persuasion by my son. I am certainly glad that I did. This film has made me a fan of Tim Burton. It is filmmaking at its best. Bravo!

Big Fish is often referred to as a "father and son" story, and the story is indeed based around two main characters who are father and son. What I'd like to convey, however, is the idea that this story is applicable to almost any close relationship within a family. This is especially true for anyone who sometimes wonders, "How did I come from this family?" Or for anyone who's ever lost someone very dear to them, but was still left with a lingering feeling of never really knowing the person at all.

The film was made by Tim Burton after losing his own father. And he combines personal life experience with his own visionary cinematography style to create an enchanting, unique, and moving film. This film is a celebration of life, and those who truly live it.