Review of Big Fish

Big Fish (2003)
9/10
Go see it…. I don't see how you couldn't enjoy it.
14 March 2004
`Most men, they'll tell you a story straight true. It won't be complicated, but it won't be interesting either.'

Director Tim Burton's films never follow traditional guidelines. His past films include Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow, to name just a few – all of which have imaginative storylines and wonderfully strange characters, of which Big Fish is certainly no exception.

Ed Bloom (Ewan McGregor as the young Ed Bloom / Albert Finney as the senior Ed Bloom) is a man who has always told amazing stories to his family, friends, and anyone who would listen to them. His son Will (Billy Crudup) is frustrated by his father's stories; unable to work out what was real and what was made-up about his father's life. When he finds out his father is dying, Will returns home to try and find out the true story of his father's life. What follows is a tantalising and colourful journey along one man's life as a travelling salesman, seeking the woman that he loves and having an adventure on the way.

Big Fish is rated PG and while children may find this film hard to follow with regard to storyline, they will be entertained by wonderful visual imagery and colourful characters; the latter including a Circus Manager known as Amos Calloway (Danny DeVito), a famous unimaginative poet called Norther Winslow (Steve Buscemi), a giant called Karl (Matthew McGrory), a pair of Siamese performers known as Ping and Jing (Ada Tai & Arlene Tai) and a witch with a glass eye (Helena Bonham Carter) that bears prophetic messages, mermaids and of course: big fish.

It is so hard to write a review on this film – not due to lack of detail, but because I want to tell you everything (and I mean everything) about it – but if I were to do that, it would dampen your experience of the film – so without wanting to do that, I'm not actually going to tell you much more than what I have already.

Go see it…. I don't see how you couldn't enjoy it.
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