A drama about the awakening of painter Margaret Keane, her phenomenal success in the 1950s, and the subsequent legal difficulties she had with her husband, who claimed credit for her works in the 1960s.
In San Francisco in the 1950s, Margaret was a woman trying to make it on her own after leaving her husband with only her daughter and her paintings. She meets gregarious ladies' man and fellow painter Walter Keane in a park while she was struggling to make an impact with her drawings of children with big eyes. The two quickly become a pair with outgoing Walter selling their paintings and quiet Margaret holed up at home painting even more children with big eyes. But Walter's actually selling her paintings as his own. A clash of financial success and critical failure soon sends Margaret reeling in her life of lies. With Walter still living the high life, Margaret's going to have to try making it on her own again and re-claiming her name and her paintings.Written by
Anne Campbell
Amy Adams liked the script when it was offered to her, but she originally turned down the role of Margaret because the character lacked "a stronger sense of self". Working on American Hustle (2013) gave Adams a new perspective of the character, and the character's "quiet dignity" won her over. The relationship between the mother and the daughter spoke to her as well. See more »
Goofs
When Walter shows the money from the nightclub sale, the bills, especially the $5 bills, are not of the correct era. The fives should have blue, brown, or red seals and serial numbers. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Dick Nolan:
[narrating]
The '50s were a grand time, if you were a man. I'm Dick Nolan. I make things up for a living - I'm a reporter.
[Margaret frantically packing things]
Dick Nolan:
It's the strangest goddamn story that I ever covered. It started the day that Margaret Ulbrich walked out on her suffocating husband, long before it became the fashionable thing to do.
Margaret Keane:
Come on, Janie.
[they get into the car]
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You all know him as the king of Goth, but we as the viewers forget that he can do more. It's good to see him get away from that world of darkness and finally surprise us for a change. Don't get me wrong, I freaking love his dark movies like, "Edward Scissorhands" "Beetlejuice" "Sweeney Todd" and my personal favorites "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Batman."It's kind of weird that there's no Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter anymore but it's good to see something else. Maybe Tim Burton is moving on or taking a break. And if you're tired of seeing the same thing over and over then check out "Big Eyes." It's a well written, well directed and well acted. Amy Adams is no surprise. She gives an astounding performance and I hope to see her in another Burton flick. Christoph Waltz is slimy and a d!ck but every time I see him he looks like he's having a blast and if he's having fun, so am I. And I am so glad Burton kept Danny Elfman. These two guys are inseparable. They're like Spielberg and Williams. Elfman's scare was pretty good, but I still miss that creepy chilling dark music that he's well known for; in this it's more upbeat. All in all, the movie was good but not great, though it doesn't feel historically accurate, mostly because of Waltz's performance. Anyway, check it out.
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You all know him as the king of Goth, but we as the viewers forget that he can do more. It's good to see him get away from that world of darkness and finally surprise us for a change. Don't get me wrong, I freaking love his dark movies like, "Edward Scissorhands" "Beetlejuice" "Sweeney Todd" and my personal favorites "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Batman."It's kind of weird that there's no Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter anymore but it's good to see something else. Maybe Tim Burton is moving on or taking a break. And if you're tired of seeing the same thing over and over then check out "Big Eyes." It's a well written, well directed and well acted. Amy Adams is no surprise. She gives an astounding performance and I hope to see her in another Burton flick. Christoph Waltz is slimy and a d!ck but every time I see him he looks like he's having a blast and if he's having fun, so am I. And I am so glad Burton kept Danny Elfman. These two guys are inseparable. They're like Spielberg and Williams. Elfman's scare was pretty good, but I still miss that creepy chilling dark music that he's well known for; in this it's more upbeat. All in all, the movie was good but not great, though it doesn't feel historically accurate, mostly because of Waltz's performance. Anyway, check it out.