A frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.A frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.A frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.
- Director
- Writers
- Daniel Wallace(novel "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions")
- John August(screenplay)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Daniel Wallace(novel "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions")
- John August(screenplay)
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 69 nominations total
Videos2
Loudon Wainwright III
- Beamenas Beamen
- (as Loudon Wainwright)
- Director
- Writers
- Daniel Wallace(novel "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions")
- John August(screenplay)
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
United Press International journalist Will Bloom and his French freelance photojournalist wife Josephine Bloom, who is pregnant with their first child, leave their Paris base to return to Will's hometown of Ashton, Alabama on the news that his father, Edward Bloom, stricken with cancer, will soon die, he being taken off chemotherapy treatment. Although connected indirectly through Will's mother/Edward's wife, Sandra Bloom, Will has been estranged from his father for three years since his and Josephine's wedding. Will's issue with his father is the fanciful tales Edward has told of his life all his life, not only to Will but the whole world. As a child when Edward was largely absent as a traveling salesman, Will believed those stories, but now realizes that he does not know his father, who, as he continues to tell these stories, he will never get to know unless Edward comes clean with the truth before he dies. On the brink of his own family life beginning, Will does not want to be the kind of father Edward has been to him. One of those stories from Edward's childhood - that he saw his own death in the glass eye of a witch - led to him embracing life since he would not have to fear death knowing when and how it would eventually come. The question is whether Will will be able to reconcile Edward's stories against his real life, either directly from Edward before he dies and/or from other sources, and thus allow Will to come to a new understanding of himself and his life, past, present and future. —Huggo
- Taglines
- An adventure as big as life itself.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe joke with the elephant defecating while Edward daydreams was unscripted. The filming crew found it hilarious, and quickly zoomed out to get the whole thing.
- GoofsEdward Bloom's "story" is set in a nostalgic, idealized amalgamation of the 1940s-1970s, so strict chronological and factual accuracy is not required.
- Quotes
Senior Ed Bloom: They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops, and that's true. What they don't tell you is that when it starts again, it moves extra fast to catch up.
- Crazy creditsThe Columbia logo runs in reverse.
- ConnectionsEdited into Funny or Die Presents...: Fifty Shades of DeVito (2018)
Top review
Cohesive and a feast for the eyes
I've had high hopes for this movie since I first heard about it some time ago. After all, most of the Tim Burton movies I've seen (barring Planet of the Apes) have been really wonderful. To say the least, Big Fish did not disappoint me. The story - by no means complex or suspenseful - was simple enough to allow the viewer to really take in the fantasy and mythology in Edward Bloom's tales. One didn't need a surprise ending or secret identities to make this film enjoyable. Rather, it was the simplicity and universal nature of the story that made it interesting. While some reviews have mentioned that the film can seem choppy at times, I didn't see this at all. The transition seemed smooth and logical, and while sometimes I found myself wishing for more scenes of younger Edward Bloom, I never felt bored by any of the movie. Nothing seemed to 'drag'. I was also quite impressed with the quality of acting in nearly the entire cast. Billy Crudup didn't really hit his stride until the end, but he was tolerable through the first three-quarters of the movie. Albert Finney did a great job of portraying a lion on his last legs, bigger than his body but unable to show it. Jessica Lange was amazing and added the emotional oomph that Billy Crudup often failed to provide. And while Ewan McGregor's role was not particularly difficult, at no point did he overplay the character, and his accent (to my ear anyway) never slipped. Though this wasn't as dark as Sleepy Hollow or as bizarre as Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, Big Fish definitely had the Tim Burton touch in its scenery. The colors - whether dull for Elder Bloom's time or bright for Younger Bloom - matched the mood perfectly, and everywhere you looked (especially in Bloom the Younger's timeframe) there was something else to marvel at. Tim Burton fans will not be disappointed.
helpful•16937
- blademalfoy
- Dec 27, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Cá Lớn
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $70,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $66,809,693
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $207,377
- Dec 14, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $123,218,424
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
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