Leaves a Fishy Aftertaste

Rating: Null/10 (16 January 2004)

"Big Fish" is an exciting film for me as a fan of Tim Burton, because it truly showcases everything that makes him a good storyteller--a grim reality sugarcoated by fairytale fantasy, vivid and quirky characters, a great deal of soul and heart, and top notch acting by people not afraid to act. It is my hope that audiences will see in this film everything they loved in Burton's earlier ventures.
I cannot praise the cast and their performances enough. Characters who were supposed to be believable were, and characters who were obviously larger than life were just that.
***SPOILERS AHEAD, TURN BACK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW***
I will be frank, however, that I did not care for the ending. I was so incredibly built up for the end to reveal that all of these stories were real, that Will had wrongly accused his father all these years, that the final ending was such a tremendous let down that I even suggested others not see it right after. I suppose what started my build up was the line, "I don't want to ruin the surprise ending" in reference to how he was going to die. My idea for a surprise ending is that it all was true, instead we're left with an old liar who had to make up a more exciting life for himself than what he had just to get by. This is to me the downfall of the film; its message. The message is that a sweet lie is better than a dull truth. As a person who abhors dishonesty I am having a hard time sinking my teeth into this fish.
So in summary, up until the last ten minutes of the movie, Big Fish is a masterpiece. And if you don't mind that ending, then great. In the end, every critic must dtand aside and remind his reader that what makes a movie truly good or bad is not that they liked it, but that the audience did. So go on out, and decide for yourself.