First, if you are not already familiar with this work of genius, let me set the scene for this movie for you guys. The year is 2003. Evanescence was apparently the band of the moment, teenaged girls had already spent a year crying over the breakup of NSync, and the already-renowned director of cult classics like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands was not-so-hot-off-the-heels of the critical and commercial "failure" of his remake of "Planet of the Apes"; Tim Burton released a movie that year whose story was set in the deep south, a backdrop which did not seem in his wheelhouse. (P.S. Also, Johnny Depp is not in this movie, so major shocker there too.) But as he's proved time and time again with movies like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," expectations are not something Mr. Burton adheres to at all.
"Big Fish" starred Albert Finney as Edward Bloom, a confident soul with many a story to tell and Ewan McGregor as a younger Bloom, a "big fish" in a little pond that is his small town of Ashton Alabama. The movie continuously flashes back to Young Bloom as he sets out on a journey that would later fuel his older self's exaggerated life stories. Jessica Lange, Billy Cudrup, and Marion Cotilliard were also brilliantly casted in their roles as the older Sandra Bloom, Will Bloom and Josephine Bloom.
Without giving too much away, the story revolves around Edward's stories, reluctantly narrated by his son Will and how Will feels like they have taken over and overshadowed his own accomplishments. At the start of the movie, he is at first in awe of his fathers exploits, but as he grows older, believes they have not only been told too many times, but are also complete fabrications of an often-absent father.
While this movie's premise was not too far-fetched, Burton managed to breath his unique version of colorful, yet gloomy life to it. The often outdoor landscapes were bright and green, keeping loyal to its southern setting, while the costumes and even the makeup have a certain gloom in their brightness; perhaps acting as an allegory to the stories themselves in that they were fun to hear, but as Will feels, worn with time and repetition. His casting also proved excellent not only with the main characters, but with supporting cast members like Danny Devito, Steve Buscemi and Helena Bonham Carter who brought their own quirkiness and likability to each of their supporting roles.
If I haven't already figuratively shoved your face toward a "Big Fish" DVD or videotape (were videotapes still around in 2003?) I will just TELL YOU to rent/buy/download the movie because no matter how much time has passed by since its release, it can still be new to you. Plus, the story is bittersweet in its simplicity, has a lot of heart and Albert Finney is always adorable. It's been 13 years since this film came to be but if you want to escape from the everyday monotony of checking all of your social media accounts while you're at work, or escaping from work on the toilet etc., then check it out. Even if it's only for a running time of two hours and five minutes, "Big Fish" will take you back to Tim Burton's version of a simpler time with this simply beautiful tale.
